Partition Council (India, 1947)

The Partition Council was a key administrative body established in 1947 to oversee and coordinate the complex process of dividing British India into the two independent dominions of India and Pakistan. It was formed to implement the provisions of the Indian Independence Act of 1947, which formalised the creation of the two new nations on 15 August 1947. The Council played a crucial role in resolving practical issues relating to the division of assets, personnel, institutions, and services between the two states.

Background and Context

The decision to partition British India into two separate dominions—India and Pakistan—was announced by the Mountbatten Plan (3 June 1947). This plan outlined the immediate transfer of power and the establishment of separate governments for predominantly Hindu-majority and Muslim-majority regions.
However, the administrative, military, and financial apparatus of British India had been designed to serve a unified system. Partition, therefore, required the division of:

• Government departments and civil services.
• The armed forces.
• Financial and monetary reserves.
• Railways, communications, and postal networks.
• Industrial and public works.
• Records, archives, and property.

To coordinate this unprecedented and massive administrative division, the Partition Council was constituted in July 1947 by Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, who became the first Governor-General of independent India.

Establishment and Composition

The Partition Council began functioning soon after the announcement of the Indian Independence Act (18 July 1947). It was designed as a joint administrative body representing both dominions, intended to ensure cooperation and minimise disputes during the transitional period.
Composition:

• Chairman: Lord Mountbatten (in his capacity as Governor-General before 15 August 1947).
• Members:
  • For India: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
  • For Pakistan: Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan.
• Secretariat: The administrative work of the Council was supported by officials from both sides, assisted by the British Indian civil service.

After independence, separate Partition Committees were established under the respective governments, though the Council itself continued to operate for a limited time to ensure that ongoing issues were addressed.

Objectives and Functions

The Partition Council’s main purpose was to facilitate the orderly transfer and division of administrative machinery and assets between India and Pakistan. Its key functions included:

1. Division of Government Departments:
   • Allocating ministries, files, and records between the two dominions.
   • Ensuring continuity of essential services such as railways, postal systems, and telegraphs.
2. Distribution of Financial Assets:
   • Apportioning the financial reserves of the Reserve Bank of India.
   • Determining Pakistan’s share of foreign exchange, gold reserves, and public debt.
3. Division of the Armed Forces:
   • Supervising the partition of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
   • Allocating arms, ammunition, bases, and personnel between India and Pakistan.
4. Allocation of Civil Services:
   • Dividing the Indian Civil Service (ICS), Indian Police (IP), and other administrative cadres.
   • Facilitating the movement and reassignment of officers to their chosen dominion.
5. Management of Public Property:
   • Dividing buildings, vehicles, machinery, and infrastructure of the central government.
   • Allocating railway stock, telecommunication equipment, and factories.
6. Coordination on Refugee and Border Issues:
   • Addressing migration-related problems following the massive population exchanges after partition.
   • Ensuring the safety of refugees and maintaining law and order along the new borders.
7. Settlement of Inter-Dominion Disputes:
   • Acting as a forum for negotiation on issues of mutual concern, particularly in the early months of independence.

Subordinate Bodies and Committees

To handle the enormous range of division-related matters, the Partition Council established several specialised sub-committees, each focusing on a specific area:

• Armed Forces Reconstitution Committee – to divide the military establishment.
• Civil Services Sub-Committee – to manage personnel distribution.
• Finance and Revenue Committee – to handle currency, reserves, and taxation.
• Communications Committee – to separate railway, telegraph, and postal services.
• Assets and Liabilities Committee – to divide public property and debts.
• Judicial Committee – to manage the separation of the judiciary and legal frameworks.
• Emergency and Rehabilitation Committee – to handle humanitarian crises arising from partition.

Each sub-committee was staffed by representatives from both dominions and supervised by senior British or Indian officials.

Key Decisions and Actions

The Partition Council made several critical decisions that shaped the early functioning of India and Pakistan:

• Financial Settlement: Pakistan was awarded ₹750 crore as its share of the financial assets of undivided India. However, due to escalating violence and tensions, India initially withheld the final instalment of ₹55 crore, which was later released by Mahatma Gandhi’s intervention in January 1948.
• Division of Armed Forces: The Council oversaw the transfer of approximately one-third of military personnel and equipment to Pakistan.
• Civil Services Allocation: Officers were allowed to opt for either dominion, and administrative frameworks were adjusted accordingly.
• Railway Division: The vast Indian railway network was divided, with approximately 40% of assets and personnel allocated to Pakistan.
• Postal and Telegraph Services: Separate communication networks were created, though cooperation continued temporarily to maintain connectivity.
• Refugee Crisis Management: The Council facilitated coordination between governments to address large-scale population movements and refugee rehabilitation, though the scale of violence overwhelmed administrative efforts.

Challenges Faced

The Partition Council operated under extremely difficult circumstances. Some of the major challenges included:

• Communal Violence: Widespread rioting and massacres in Punjab and Bengal disrupted administrative coordination and diverted attention from planned transitions.
• Mass Migration: The displacement of over 14 million people across the new borders created humanitarian and logistical crises beyond the Council’s capacity.
• Administrative Shortages: Many officers resigned or refused to serve in new administrations, leading to severe shortages of skilled personnel.
• Political Distrust: Tensions between Indian and Pakistani leaders hampered cooperation and led to delays in implementing decisions.
• Financial Disputes: Disagreements over the payment of Pakistan’s share of assets created political friction between the two dominions.

Despite these obstacles, the Council succeeded in laying the groundwork for the basic functioning of two independent administrations.

Dissolution and Aftermath

The Partition Council functioned for only a few months after independence. By December 1947, most of its major functions had been completed or transferred to the respective dominion governments.
In January 1948, the Inter-Dominion Conferences replaced the Council as a means of bilateral coordination between India and Pakistan on unresolved issues such as refugees, trade, and border disputes.
Although short-lived, the Partition Council played a decisive role in ensuring that the essential administrative, financial, and defence mechanisms were divided, allowing both nations to begin functioning as sovereign entities.

Significance and Legacy

The Partition Council of 1947 was one of the most critical transitional institutions in the decolonisation of South Asia. Its importance lies in:

• Managing the logistical and institutional complexities of partition.
• Preventing complete administrative collapse during the transfer of power.
• Establishing precedents for inter-dominion cooperation between India and Pakistan.
• Providing the framework for later bilateral arrangements and agreements.