On February 20, 1947, Prime Minister Attlee announced the British Government's decision to withdraw from India latest by

Explanation

On 20 February 1947, Attlee stated before the House of Commons that his government intended to transfer power to Indians by June 1948. He also said that if by then no decision on a constitution had been reached, the British Government would have to consider to whom the powers of the central government in British India should be handed over—either to a central government, or to provincial governments in ## Page 27 some areas, or in any other manner considered appropriate in the interests of the Indian people. In March 1947, Lord Mountbatten was sworn in as Viceroy. His task was to wind up British power in India. He was specifically instructed to keep India united as far as possible along with the transfer of power; however, he was also authorised to take decisions according to the changed circumstances in India so that Britain could withdraw honourably with minimum loss. Mountbatten soon reached the conclusion during the talks on the transfer of power that the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan had become necessary.