How power was transferred from British queen to India?

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Prime Minister Office (PMO), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and  Ministry of Culture to collect all authentic documents from different sources and supply the same to the National Archives of India, how the power was transferred from the British queen to India and personalities associated with the process. The CIC directions came on a Right To Information (RTI) filed by Madan Lal Narula, a resident of Ferozepur Punjab who was seeking certified copies of all written documents and allied information pertaining to partition of India on August 14 and 15, 1947; certified copies of official papers bearing signatures of all the authorities, freedom fighters, politicians before West Pakistan (presently Pakistan) came into existence.

In its order, the CIC directed to coordinate with the above Ministries and pursue the collection of documents and to provide open public access to the same as soon as possible. The Government has argued that only document they could think of related to independence and partition, was ‘Indian Independence Act, 1947’ that was passed by the British Parliament regarding transfer of power.

“ They were contacting the India Office in UK to find out any other relevant authentic documents on this issue, but only authentic document they could think of was Indian Independence Act 1947 regarding transfer of power,” the CPIO Jaya Ravindran told the CIC.

When asked, Narula said that he has yet to receive any communication from the Government on this issue .

During the hearing, the Government said it is still looking to reasonably respond to the questions- ‘who granted us freedom? Did Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru signed any papers?

The Government argued that several such questions were regularly being filed with them seeking to know who granted us freedom, what are the related documents, did Gandhi, Nehru etc signed any papers, is there any Sandhi (pact between two nations) regarding the Independence and Partition of India. Some critiques even questioned the status and capacity of the Queen to grant Independence or how the power or sovereignty was transferred from the British Queen to India, and the personalities associated with such process etc.

“The people, who question who gave us independence, that independence means really ‘independence’ and it does not mean ‘grant’ or ‘pact’. People of India are proud that their leaders achieved it, and not begged for anybody’s grant. The applicant’s demand reminds the Government to collect all necessary authentic documents and provide access to them,” the CIC stated in the order.

“It is a matter of general knowledge that Indian people achieved Independence after constant struggle in different forms, the historical landmark developments are recorded in certain documents, availability of which is not authentically known. They could be available with India Office in UK or with UK Administration or with any other authority in India. All such authentic documents should have been collected by the Government of India and placed in the National Archives of India, for public access. The RTI Act has added a right to citizens to seek copies of such documents. In this context the appellant’s request for information needs serious attention,” the order said.

Independence Act passed in the UK parliament partitioned British India into the two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan. The act received the royal assent on 18th July 1947. The act said: the dominion of India may be regarded as an expression of the desire for self-government of the all people in India, and the dominion of Pakistan as the expression of the demand for self-government by the Muslims and the 15th August was declared as the appointed day for the partition.