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The announcement of 20 February 1947, that the British would transfer power to Indian hands not later than June 1948, was made by British Prime Minister:
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Answer: Option B — Clement Attlee
Detailed Solution
On 20 February 1947, the British Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced in the House of Commons that the British would transfer power to Indian hands not later than June 1948.
About the announcement:
- It declared that the British government intended to take the necessary steps to transfer power into responsible Indian hands by a date not later than June 1948.
- If no agreed constitution had been worked out by then, power would be handed over either to some form of central government or to the existing provincial governments, or in some other way that seemed most reasonable.
- It also announced the appointment of a new Viceroy to oversee the transfer of power.
- The announcement fixed a clear deadline, which forced the Indian parties to reach a decision quickly.
Reactions:
- The Congress welcomed the fixing of a date, though it feared that the reference to provincial governments might encourage partition.
- The Muslim League saw it as an opportunity to press its demand for Pakistan, and intensified its campaign in the Punjab and elsewhere.
About Clement Attlee:
- He was the leader of the Labour Party, and became Prime Minister after the Labour victory in the general election of July 1945, defeating Winston Churchill's Conservatives.
- He was Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951.
- He was sympathetic to Indian independence, and had been a member of the Simon Commission.
- Under his government, India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon became independent.
- His government also set up the National Health Service in Britain.
What followed:
- The new Viceroy came to India in March 1947 and found that partition was unavoidable.
- The date of transfer was brought forward, and India became independent on 15 August 1947.
- The Indian Independence Act was passed by the British Parliament in July 1947.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Winston Churchill opposed Indian independence.
- ✗Ramsay MacDonald was Prime Minister in the early 1930s.
- ✗Neville Chamberlain was Prime Minister in the late 1930s.
Quick tip
Remember: Attlee's announcement (20 February 1947) = transfer of power by June 1948; Attlee (Labour) was Prime Minister 1945-51 and had served on the Simon Commission.
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Making & Sources of the Constitution — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Making & Sources of the Constitution, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers how the Indian Constitution was made: the Constituent Assembly, its committees and members, the drafting process and key dates, and the features India borrowed from other constitutions, such as the parliamentary system from Britain and Fundamental Rights from the USA. Exams frequently ask who chaired the Drafting Committee (B. R. Ambedkar), who was President of the Constituent Assembly (Rajendra Prasad), and when the Constitution was adopted (26 November 1949) and came into force (26 January 1950). Questions on borrowed features are very common, so learn a table of features and their source countries. Practise the making of the Constitution questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.