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Difficulty: Very hardConstitutional Developments, Transfer of Power, and Partition of India

With reference to the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946), consider the following statements:

1. It explicitly rejected the demand for a separate, sovereign state of Pakistan.
2. It proposed a weak central authority retaining control only over Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Communications, while vesting all residual powers in the provinces.
3. It prohibited provinces from forming intermediate regional groupings (Groups A, B, and C) before the final adoption of the Union Constitution.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 onlyAnswer
  2. B
    2 and 3 only
  3. C
    1 and 3 only
  4. D
    1, 2 and 3

Answer

The correct statements are 1 and 2 only.
The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 sought to maintain a united India by creating a three-tiered federal system. It rejected a fully separate Pakistan, granted the Union control over only Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Communications with provincial residual autonomy, and organized provinces into three distinct groups (Sections A, B, and C) to formulate provincial and regional constitutions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate Statement 1 regarding the rejection of a sovereign Pakistan.
Statement 1 is correct. The Cabinet Mission (1946) rejected the Muslim League's demand for a fully sovereign Pakistan, arguing it would not solve the minority problem and would create administrative and defense complications.
Understanding the political context of the Cabinet Mission's attempt to preserve Indian unity.
2
Evaluate Statement 2 regarding central jurisdiction and residual powers.
Statement 2 is correct. The Plan envisaged a federal structure with a limited Center holding jurisdiction only over Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Communications, leaving all other subjects and residual powers to the provinces.
Analyzing the federal division of power proposed by the Cabinet Mission.
3
Evaluate Statement 3 regarding the grouping of provinces.
Statement 3 is incorrect. The Plan recommended three sections/groups of provinces (Group A: Hindu-majority provinces, Group B: Muslim-majority provinces in the NW, Group C: Muslim-majority provinces in the NE) to frame provincial and group constitutions.
Identifying misattribution of grouping provisions under the Cabinet Mission framework.

Key Concept

Cabinet Mission Plan 1946 Constitutional Proposals
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Topics

Constitutional Developments, Transfer of Power, and Partition of India