Look at the picture given and answer the following questions:

(i) Name the Viceroy who announced the plan for smooth transfer of power. Mention any two clauses of his plan with reference to the Princely States.

(ii) Mention any three reasons for the acceptance of his plan by the Congress.

(iii) Mention any four provisions of the Indian Independence Act of 1947.

(i) Lord Mountbatten announced the Mountbatten Plan on June 3, 1947, for smooth transfer of power.

Two clauses of Mountbatten Plan with reference to the Princely states are:

1. The Mountbatten Plan stated that the treaties with them would come to an end.
2. They would be free to associate themselves with either of the Dominions or to remain independent.

(ii) The reasons due to which All-India Congress Committee finally accepted the Mountbatten Plan may be summarised as follows:

1. The large-scale communal riots that engulfed the whole country convinced all that the only solution to the communal problem lay in the Partition of India. In the words of Sardar Patel, "Refusal of the demand for Pakistan will amount to dividing the country into so many Pakistans."
2. The League had joined the Interim Government to obstruct and not to cooperate. Experience of working with the League had convinced the Congress that it could not have a joint administration with the League.
3. The only alternative to Partition was a Federation with a weak Centre. A smaller India with a strong central authority was better than a bigger State with a weak Centre.

(iii) Four provisions of the Indian Independence Act of 1947 are:

1. Two New Dominions: India would be partitioned and two independent Dominions-India and Pakistan-would be created from August 15, 1947. The Act provided legislative supremacy of both the Dominions. The territories of the two Dominions were divided in such terms that Pakistan would comprise Sindh, British Baluchistan, North West Frontier Province, the West Punjab and East Bengal. India was to comprise all the remaining territories included in the British India. The exact boundaries of the Dominions would be determined by a Boundary Commission.

2. Constituent Assemblies to Serve as Central Legislatures: The Constituent Assemblies of both the dominions were to act as the Central Legislatures and would have full powers to make laws for their respective Dominion. They would act as sovereign bodies for legislative purposes.

3. Princely States: The Princely States would become independent and all the powers exercised by the British authority were to be terminated. All treaties and agreements made by the British with reference to States would lapse from August 15, 1947. They would be free to associate themselves with either Dominion or to remain independent.

4. Division of the Army and the Assets: Provisions were made for the division of the Indian army between the two Dominions and steps were to be taken to share the assets and liabilities between the two Dominions.