June 3 Plan

The June 3 Plan, also known as the Mountbatten Plan, was the framework announced by the British Government on 3 June 1947 that laid down the political roadmap for the partition of India and the creation of two independent dominions — India and Pakistan. It marked the final phase of British withdrawal from the Indian subcontinent and set in motion the events that led to the end of nearly two centuries of colonial rule. The plan was named after Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, who formulated and announced it after extensive consultations with Indian political leaders.

Background and Context

By early 1947, it had become evident that British rule in India was nearing its end. Post-Second World War Britain was weakened economically and politically, and growing nationalist movements within India made continued colonial governance untenable. The Indian National Congress was pressing for full independence, while the Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, demanded a separate homeland for Muslims in the form of Pakistan.
The political situation deteriorated sharply after the failure of previous efforts to maintain Indian unity. Notable among these were:

• The Cripps Mission (1942): which failed to gain Indian cooperation for Britain’s wartime efforts.
• The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946): which proposed a federal structure for a united India, later rejected due to disagreements between the Congress and the Muslim League.
• The Direct Action Day (1946): called by the Muslim League, which led to widespread communal violence in Calcutta and other regions, worsening Hindu-Muslim relations.

Amidst escalating unrest and communal violence, Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced in February 1947 that Britain would leave India by June 1948. However, the urgency of the situation forced the process to move faster, resulting in the formulation of the June 3 Plan.

Formulation of the Plan

Lord Mountbatten, who took office as Viceroy in March 1947, held a series of meetings with Indian political leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Baldev Singh, representing the Sikhs. Mountbatten concluded that a united India was no longer feasible due to the deep political and communal divisions between the Congress and the Muslim League.
After consulting the British Government and securing the approval of King George VI, Mountbatten prepared a plan to transfer power directly to two separate dominions. The plan was formally announced in both London and New Delhi on 3 June 1947.

Main Provisions of the June 3 Plan

The key features of the June 3 Plan were as follows:

• Partition of India: The British Indian Empire would be divided into two independent dominions — India and Pakistan.
• Provincial Option: The provinces of Punjab and Bengal, which were religiously mixed, would each decide through their legislative assemblies whether to join India or Pakistan. If any province opted for partition, separate boundary commissions would be set up to demarcate borders.
• North-West Frontier Province (NWFP): A referendum would be held to determine whether the province would join India or Pakistan.
• Sylhet District (Assam): A plebiscite would be conducted to decide if Sylhet should remain in Assam or join East Bengal (Pakistan).
• Princely States: The plan did not directly apply to princely states, but they were advised to accede either to India or Pakistan based on geographical and communal considerations.
• Constitution-Making: Separate Constituent Assemblies would be established in India and Pakistan to frame their respective constitutions.
• Transfer of Power: The transfer of authority from the British Government to the new dominions would take place no later than 15 August 1947.

Acceptance by Indian Leaders

The June 3 Plan was discussed by the main political parties before being made public. Despite its emotional and political implications, the plan was accepted by the principal Indian leaders due to the absence of viable alternatives and the urgency of achieving independence.

• The Indian National Congress, represented by Nehru, Patel, and Kripalani, accepted the plan reluctantly, regarding partition as a necessary evil to end political deadlock.
• The Muslim League, led by Jinnah, accepted the plan enthusiastically as it fulfilled their long-standing demand for Pakistan.
• The Sikh leaders, though deeply distressed by the partition of Punjab, agreed to the plan, recognising the inevitability of the decision.

Implementation and Consequences

Following the acceptance of the June 3 Plan, the Indian Independence Act was passed by the British Parliament on 18 July 1947, giving legal effect to the decisions. The Act created the two dominions of India and Pakistan, each empowered to legislate independently from 15 August 1947 onwards.
The practical implementation of the plan, however, proved catastrophic. The Partition of India led to unprecedented communal violence, mass displacement, and human suffering. Millions of people were uprooted from their homes as religious minorities migrated across the newly drawn borders. Estimates suggest that between 10 and 15 million people were displaced, and around one million lives were lost in the ensuing chaos.
The Boundary Commissions under Sir Cyril Radcliffe were established to demarcate borders in Punjab and Bengal, but the decisions were rushed and often arbitrary, leading to long-term disputes between India and Pakistan, including over regions like Kashmir.

Significance of the Plan

The June 3 Plan holds immense historical significance as the definitive step that led to the end of British colonial rule in India and the birth of two sovereign states. Its importance can be understood in several dimensions:

• Political Transition: It provided a clear and structured framework for transferring power from British rule to independent Indian and Pakistani governments.
• Resolution of Deadlock: It broke the political stalemate between the Congress and the Muslim League, enabling the immediate establishment of self-rule.
• Recognition of Communal Realities: The plan acknowledged the depth of communal divisions and sought to provide a pragmatic, though tragic, solution.
• Creation of Modern Nations: It directly resulted in the emergence of India and Pakistan as two independent dominions on 15 August and 14 August 1947 respectively.

Criticism and Historical Debate

While the June 3 Plan achieved the political objective of ending British rule, it remains controversial for the manner and speed of its implementation. Critics argue that the hasty execution left little time for orderly transition, resulting in widespread violence and displacement. Others believe that partition was inevitable, and the plan merely formalised what had become politically unavoidable.
Historians continue to debate whether Mountbatten’s approach accelerated independence at the cost of humanitarian suffering, or whether it was the only feasible solution to an otherwise unresolvable crisis.