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Question

Difficulty: MediumConstitutional Developments, Transfer of Power, and Partition of India

With reference to the Wavell Plan announced in June 1945 to resolve the political deadlock in India, which of the following was a key proposal included in the plan?

  1. Restructuring of the Viceroy's Executive Council to give equal representation to Caste Hindus and Muslims, with all members except the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief being Indians.Answer
  2. B
    Grouping of British Indian provinces into three distinct administrative sections based on regional Muslim and non-Muslim majorities.
  3. C
    Immediate grant of Dominion Status with full authority to secede from the Commonwealth upon the cessation of hostilities.
  4. D
    Establishment of a sovereign Constituent Assembly elected directly by universal adult franchise during World War II.

Answer

The restructuring of the Viceroy's Executive Council with equal representation for Caste Hindus and Muslims, excluding the Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief.
The Wavell Plan of June 1945 proposed that the Viceroy's Executive Council would be reconstituted such that all its portfolio heads, except the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief, would be Indians. It specifically stipulated equal representation (parity) between Caste Hindus and Muslims within the council.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary objective and scope of the Wavell Plan (1945).
The Wavell Plan aimed to break the political deadlock in India by creating an interim arrangement for executive administration.
Lord Wavell proposed reconstituting the Viceroy's Executive Council under the framework of the Government of India Act 1935 until a new constitution could be framed.
2
Examine the specific provisions regarding the Executive Council composition.
All executive portfolio holders except the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief were to be Indian leaders, with equal parity between Caste Hindus and Muslims.
This parity proposal led to intense debates at the Simla Conference (June–July 1945) over who had the right to nominate Muslim members.
3
Differentiate Wavell Plan proposals from other constitutional proposals.
Confirm that provincial grouping belongs to the Cabinet Mission (1946) and Dominion status/secession provisions belong to the Cripps Mission (1942).
Prevent misattribution of provisions across different colonial constitutional offers.

Key Concept

Wavell Plan and Simla Conference (1945) executive council proposals
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Topics

Constitutional Developments, Transfer of Power, and Partition of India