UPSC Prelims 2022 Question:

With reference to the proposals of Cripps Mission

consider the following statements:

1. The Constituent Assembly would have members nominated by the Provincial Assemblies as well as the Princely States.
2. Any Province, which is not prepared to accept the new Constitution would have the right to sign a separate agreement with Britain regarding its future status.
   
   

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation:

• In March 1942, a mission headed by Stafford Cripps was sent to India with constitutional proposals to seek Indian support for the war.
  
  

• It proposed that the Constituent Assembly was to be composed of elected (and not nominated) members from provinces. Only the section representing the Princely states was to be nominated. So, statement 1 is not correct.
  
  

• It also stated that if any Province which is not prepared to accept the new Constitution would have the right to sign a separate agreement with Britain regarding its future status. This became the primary reason for the failure of the Cripps mission as this provision allowed for balkanization of India. So, statement 2 is correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: History|Constitutional and Judicial Developments