Proposals of Cabinet Mission:

The members of the Cabinet Mission met the leaders of all the political parties to find their point of views but they could not reach any result. On 16^th May, 1946 the members of the Cabinet Mission announced a plan of their own. The salient features of the plan were as under

1. Sub-continent, A Union:

The Sub-continent should be a Union consisting of many provinces and several states. A federation should be formed. The Union should deal with the subjects of defense, foreign affairs and communications. The Union should have the powers to raise the finances required for the above subjects. All subjects other than the union subjects shall be vest with the provinces.

2. Formation of Provincial Groups:

The provinces of India were to form three groups:

Group A:

Hindu majority provinces of Madras, Bombay (Mumbai), U.P, C.P, Bihar and Orissa.

Group B:

Muslim majority Provinces like Punjab, NWFP (KPK), Balochistan and Sindh

Group C:

Bengal and Assam

3. Elections of the Central Legislature:

The members of the Provincial Assemblies will elect the Central Legislature. The central Legislature will frame the constitution for the whole of the country. After the Central Constitution is framed, all the three provincial groups will prepare their constitutions.

4. Interim Government:

An Interim Government would be set up immediately. This government will run the system till the constitution is framed. The Interim Government will consist of the representatives of major parties. All the ministers in the Interim Government will be local. No British will be included in the cabinet. The cabinet will have autonomy in administrative affairs. After the Central Constitution is framed, any province could change its group if it thought necessary. Every province would be empowered to join the group of its own choice.

5. Separation from Union:

If one or two provinces from the three groups of provinces decide to separate from the Union, they could do so but after ten years. This point granted the right to the Muslim majority areas of group B and group C to make Pakistan after ten years. Thus, the process of the partition will complete automatically.

6. Veto Power:

To appease and calm down the Congress, a point was added to the proposals made by the Commission that if a political party dislikes the proposals given by Cabinet Mission, it can veto it. However, the right to join the Interim Government will be given to only that political party which accepts the proposals. They thought that as the demand of Muslim League “Pakistan” is not being accepted so that it will reject the proposals. Thus, Congress will approve the Cabinet Mission Plan to form the Central Interim Government.