# Interim Government of India

Part of a series on the :
History of Bangladesh :
Etymology
Timeline
Traditional
Urheimat :
Ancient Neolithic 7600 - 3300 BCE Bronze Age 3300 – 1200 BCE     Pundra kingdom c.1280 – c. 300 BCE Iron Age 1200 – 200 BCE Vanga kingdom c.1100 – c. 340 BCE      House of Vijaya 543 BCE - 66 CE Northern Culture 700 – 200 BCE Gangaridai c. 350 – c. 300 BCE Nanda Dynasty c. 345 BCE– c. 322 BCE Mauryan Empire 325 – 185 BCE Samatata kingdom c. 232 BCE – 800 AD Shunga and Kushan c. 185 BCE – c. 75 CE Southwestern Silk Road c. 114 BCE – c. 1450 CE Indo-Roman trade relations c. 30 BCE – c. 600 CE Gupta Empire 240 – 550 CE Kamarupa kingdom 350 – 1140 CE :
Medieval Jaintia Kingdom 500 – 1835 CE Gauda Kingdom 590 – 626 CE Laur kingdom 600 - 1565 CE Harikela kingdom 600 - 650 CE Gour Kingdom 600 – 1303 CE Khadga dynasty 650 – 750 CE Bhadra dynasty c. 700s CE Pala Empire 750 – 1100 CE Chandra dynasty 900 – 1050 CE Sena dynasty 1070 – 1320 CE Deva dynasty 1100 – 1250 CE Ghurid Conquest 1202 CE Khaljis of Bengal 1204 - 1231 CE Taraf Kingdom c. 1200s – c. 1600s CE Bhulua Kingdom 1203 – 1600s CE Delhi Sultanate 1204 – 1338 CE     Mamluk Dynasty 1206 – 1290 CE     Khalji Dynasty 1290 – 1320 CE     Tugluq Dynasty 1320 – 1338,1342 CECity State Sultanates     Sonargaon 1338 – 1352 CE     Lakhnauti/Gauda 1342 – 1352 CE     Satagon/Saptagram 1342 – 1352 CE Twipra Kingdom c. 1400 – 1949 CE Bengal Sultanate 1352 – 1576 CE     Ilyas Shahi dynasty 1342 – 1487 CE     House of Ganesha 1414 – 1436 CE     Habshi dynasty 1487 – 1494 CE     Hussein Shahi 1494 – 1538 CE     Suri Interruption 1539 – 1554 CE     Muhammad Shahi 1554 – 1564 CE     Karrani dynasty 1564 – 1576 CE Pratapgarh Kingdom 1489 – 1700s CE :
Early Modern Koch Kingdom 1515 – 1956 CE Suri Dynasty 1540 – 1556 CE Twelve Bhuyans 1550 – 1620 CE Porto Grande de Bengala 1528 – 1666 CE Kingdom of Mrauk U 1530 – 1666 CE Mughal Empire 1576 – 1717 CE     Bengal Subah 1576 – 1717 CE     Rajshahi Raj c. 1700s - 1950 CE     Zamindars 1700s - 1900s CE Pratapaditya Kingdom 1602 – 1611 CE Sitaram Ray Kingdom 1688 – 1714 CE Nawabs of Bengal 1717 – 1757 CE     Maratha Invasions 1742 - 1751 CE     Siege of Calcutta 1756 CE Shamsher Gazi's Kingdom 1748 – 1760 CE Company Raj 1757 – 1858 CE     Bengal famine of 1770 1770 CE     Bengal Renaissance 1772 - 1913 CE     Faraizi Movement 1818 – 1884 CE     The Great Rebellion 1857 – 1858 CE Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya 1830 – 1831 CE     Titumir's rebellion 1830s CE British Raj 1858 – 1947 CE     Partition of Bengal 1905 CE     Bengal and Assam 1905 - 1912 CE     Bengal Famine 1943 CE     Bengali Prime Minister 1937 - 1947 CE     Noakhali riots 1946 CE :
Modern East Bengal 1947 – 1955 CE     Partition of Bengal (1947) 1947 CE     East Bengali refugees 1947 CE     Bengali Language Movement 1948 – 1956 CE East Pakistan 1955 – 1971 CE     1964 East Pakistan riots 1964 CE     Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 1965 CE     Six Point Movement 1966 CE     East Pakistan Uprising 1969 CE     Pakistani general election 1970 CE     Non-cooperation 1971 CE Bangladesh Liberation War 1971 CE     Independence Declaration 1971 CE     Provisional Government 1971 – 1972 CE     Bangladesh Genocide 1971 CE     Surrender of Pakistan 1971 CE :
Contemporary Bangladesh famine 1974 CE Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League 1975 CE Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 1975 CE Jail Killing Day 1975 CEMilitary rule 1975 – 1990 CE Military coups in Bangladesh 1975 - 2011 CE Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict 1977 - 1997 CE Mass Uprising 1990 CETransition to democracy 1991 – 2008 CE Caretaker government of Bangladesh 1996 CE Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord 1997 CE Bangladeshi political crisis 2006–2008 CEHasina era 2009–2024 CE Vision 2021 and Digital Bangladesh 2008 CE Bangladesh Rifles revolt 2009 CE Shapla Square protests 2013 CE Bangladesh quota reform movement 2013 CE International Crimes Tribunal 2009 CE 2015 Bangladeshi political crisis 2015 CE 2018 Bangladesh road-safety protests 2018 CE 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement 2018 CE 2021 Bangladesh Communal Violence 2021 CE Smart Bangladesh Bangladesh protests (2022–2024) 2022- 2024 CE July Revolution 2024 CEAftermath of July Revolution 2024–present CE Yunus ministry :
Related articles
Timeline of Bangladeshi history
Bangladeshi art
Bengali literature :
Bangladesh portal :
vte :
The Interim Government of India, also known as the Provisional Government of India, formed on 2 September 1946 from the newly elected Constituent Assembly of India, had the task of assisting the transition of British India to independence. It remained in place until 15 August 1947, the date of the independence (and partition) of British India, and the creation of the dominions of India and Pakistan.

## Formation

After the end of the Second World War, the British authorities in India released all political prisoners who had participated in the Quit India movement. The Indian National Congress, which had long fought for self rule, agreed to participate in elections for a constituent assembly, as did the Muslim League. The newly elected government of Clement Attlee dispatched the 1946 Cabinet Mission to India to formulate proposals for the formation of a government that would lead to an independent India.
The elections for the Constituent Assembly were not direct elections, as the members were elected from each of the provincial legislative assemblies. In the event, the Indian National Congress won a majority of the seats, some 69 per cent, including almost every seat in areas with a majority Hindu electorate. The Congress had clear majorities in eight of the eleven provinces of British India. The Muslim League won the seats allocated to the Muslim electorate.

## Viceroy's Executive Council

The Viceroy's Executive Council became the executive branch of the interim government. Originally headed by the Viceroy of India, it was transformed into a council of ministers, with the powers of a prime minister bestowed on the vice-president of the Council, a position held by the Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru. After independence, all members would be Indians, apart from the Viceroy, in August to become the Governor-General, Lord Mountbatten, who would hold only a ceremonial position, and the Commander-in-Chief, India, Sir Claude Auchinleck, replaced after independence by General Sir Rob Lockhart.
The senior Congress leader Vallabhbhai Patel held the second-most powerful position in the Council, heading the Department of Home Affairs, Department of Information and Broadcasting. The Sikh leader Baldev Singh was responsible for the Department of Defence and Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari was named to head the Department of Education and arts. Asaf Ali, a Muslim Congress leader, headed the Department of Railways and Transport. Scheduled Caste leader Jagjivan Ram headed the Department of Labour, while Rajendra Prasad headed the Department of Food and Agriculture and John Matthai headed the Department of Industries and Supplies.
Upon the Muslim League joining the interim government, the second highest-ranking League politician, Liaquat Ali Khan, became the head of the Department of Finance. Abdur Rab Nishtar headed the Departments of Posts and Air and Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar headed the Department of Commerce. The League nominated a Scheduled Caste Hindu politician, Jogendra Nath Mandal, to lead the Department of Law.

## Interim Government

As per the mid-June 1946 Cabinet Mission Plan, the Executive Council was expanded to consist of only Indian members except the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief intended to form the Interim Government of India until the transfer of power. The Viceroy, Viscount Wavell extended invitations for 14 members.
The Interim Government began to function from 2 September 1946 once the Indian National Congress members took their seats. However, the All-India Muslim League refused to participate until 26 October 1946. The Interim Government served until transfer of power to the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan on 15 August 1947.

### Cabinet of the Interim Government of India

| Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office |
| | Archibald Wavell, (1883–1950) Viscount Wavell Viceroy and Governor-General of India | 1946 | 21 February 1947 |
| | Louis Mountbatten, Viscount Mountbatten of Burma (1900–1979) Viceroy and Governor-General of India | 21 February 1947 | 15 August 1947 |

### Commander-in-Chief, India

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | General Sir Claude Auchinleck Commander-in-Chief, India | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | |

### Vice-President of the Executive Council

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Jawaharlal Nehru Vice-President of the Executive Council External Affairs & Commonwealth Relations | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |

### Minister of Home Affairs (India)

* Portfolio
* Home Affairs
* Information & Broadcasting
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Vallabhbhai Patel | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |

### Minister of Defence (India)

* Portfolio
* Defence
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | | Baldev Singh | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |

### Ministry of Commerce

* Portfolio
* Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | John Matthai | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |

### Minister of Education (India)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | C. Rajagopalachari | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |

### Ministry of Power (India)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Sarat Chandra Bose | 2 September 1946 | 2 September 1946 | Indian National Congress |
| 2 | | C. H. Bhabha | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |
* Portfolio
* Works, Mines and Power

### Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Rajendra Prasad | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |
* Portfolio
* Ministry of Food and Agriculture (India)

### Minister of Railways (India)

* Portfolio
* Railways and Transport
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Asaf Ali | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |

### Ministry of Labour (India)

* Portfolio
* Labour
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Jagjivan Ram | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | Indian National Congress |

### Minister of Finance (India)

* Portfolio
* Finance
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Liaquat Ali Khan | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | All-India Muslim League |

### Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)

* Portfolio
* Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | All-India Muslim League |

### Minister of Health (India)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Ghazanfar Ali Khan | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | All-India Muslim League |

### Ministry of communication (India)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Abdur Rab Nishtar | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | All-India Muslim League |

### Ministry of Law and Justice (India)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party |
| 1 | | Jogendra Nath Mandal | 2 September 1946 | 15 August 1947 | All-India Muslim League |

## Activities

Although until August 1947 British India remained under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom, the interim government proceeded to establish diplomatic relations with other countries, including the United States. Meanwhile, the Constituent Assembly, from which the Interim Government was drawn, began the task of drafting a constitution for independent India.