The Indian Independence Act 1947 was an act of the British Parliament that granted independence to India and Pakistan, two new sovereign states that were created out of British India. The act was passed on July 18, 1947, and came into effect on August 15, 1947, which is now celebrated as India's Independence Day.
The act provided for the partition of British India into two independent dominions: the Union of India (later the Republic of India) and the Dominion of Pakistan (later the Islamic Republic of Pakistan). It also provided for the transfer of power from the British government to the new Indian and Pakistani governments.
The act provided for the following main provisions:
The partition of British India into the two independent dominions of India and Pakistan.
The transfer of power from the British government to the new Indian and Pakistani governments.
The creation of the office of the Governor-General in each of the new dominions, with the power to appoint a cabinet and other ministers.
The abolition of the British Indian Army, Navy and Air force, and the creation of separate Indian and Pakistani armed forces.
The establishment of a Boundary Commission to demarcate the border between India and Pakistan.
The rights of minorities in the two new dominions were to be protected by laws of the respective dominions.
The Indian Independence Act 1947, was a historic act that marked the end of British colonial rule in India, and the birth of two independent countries, India and Pakistan. It was a turning point in the history of the subcontinent, and led to the mass migration of millions of people between the two countries.