Indian Independence Act 1947
The night of 14th August 1947 would be the longest night in the life of over 300 million Indians.They would be all be the authors of a new chapter in the history of their nation, a word with which they could not have associated themselves with earlier.
As the clock striked 12 in the Central Hall of the Parliament House and as time stood still, in the immortal words of Pandit Nehru- India made a tryst with destiny. The time had come to redeem the pledge that was taken many years ago..
Leaning patiently on to their radios wherever there was one, the masses heard word by word the voice of freedom.
The night of 14th August 1947 would be the longest night in the life of over 300 million Indians.They would be all be the authors of a new chapter in the history of their nation, a word with which they could not have associated themselves with earlier.
As the clock striked 12 in the Central Hall of the Parliament House and as time stood still, in the immortal words of Pandit Nehru- India made a tryst with destiny. The time had come to redeem the pledge that was taken many years ago..
Leaning patiently on to their radios wherever there was one, the masses heard word by word the voice of freedom.
The transfer of power from Britain to India wasn't a simple handing over of the baton to Indians. Having suffered great loss and exhausted by the World War II Britain had to prepare domestically for giving independence to India.
In brief, the British government announces that India will be given independence ,along with the creation of Pakistan. A date is determined, not later than which the transfer of power must take place. The Constituent Assembly appoints Lord Mountbatten as the Governer General of independent India.
Granting
India independence took the same legal route as any legislation of parliament
does. After representatives of the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League
and other communities came to an agreement with the Viceroy of India Lord Mountbatten
in the what is now famous as Mountbatten Plan , a legislation
was drafted by the government of the then Prime Minister of Britain Clement
Attlee.
The
legislation would be called Indian Independence Act 1947.
The act
received the royal signature on 18th July 1947 paving the way for
the creation of two new countries – India and Pakistan.
Here is a snapshot of the Act.If you've never seen an act or a law before this will definitely interest you. Read till the end.
(
Courtesy : Original Statute from The UK Statute Law Database. Office of Public
Sector Information, National Archives, UK. Retrieved 2010-04-30)
When I first came across this it was literally a 'wow' moment for me.
Hope it was for you too. Stay tuned for more What I learned Todays.
When I first came across this it was literally a 'wow' moment for me.
Hope it was for you too. Stay tuned for more What I learned Todays.
A good beginning, Harsh.
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