The purpose of this mission was to hold consultations with the Indian leaders with the object of setting up complete self-Government in India.

The war with Japan came to an end on 10th August, 1945. After that, general elections were held in the United Kingdom. As a result of these elections, the Labour Party headed by Mr. Clement Attlee took office. Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced in the Parliament the British Government's decision to send a Cabinet Mission to India. It consisted of Lord Pathick Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps and A. V. Alexander. Attlee further announced that his Government was aware of the rights of the minorities, yet he could not allow a minority to place a veto on the rights of the majority. The Cabinet Mission arrived in India on 16th May.

The Cabinet Mission met leaders of the political parties. The Indian National Congress and the Muslim League failed to arrive at an agreement. While the Congress wanted a United India, The Muslim League was insistent on the division of India and the creation of Pakistan. The Mission put forward its own plan to solve the problem and announced its award on May 16th, 1946.

Main Provisions of the Cabinet Mission Plan

• India would be a Federation consisting of British provinces and the Indian Princely States.
• The Federal government would deal with defence, foreign affairs and communications. All other subjects will be looked after by the units of the federation.
• There would be three groups of the provinces. Group 'A' was to include Madras, Bombay, U.P., Bihar, Central Province and Orissa; Group 'B' was to comprise of Punjab, Sind, North West Frontier Province and the British Baluchistan (this Group was to constitute Muslim Majority areas), and Group 'C' was to include Bengal and Assam. These groups would draft their own constitutions in consultation with different provinces included in each group. A province could opt out of the group by a majority decision of its legislature.
• A constituent Assembly consisting of 389 members - 292 from provinces, 4 from the territories governed by chief Commissioners and 93 from Indian Princely States - would draft the Constitution of India.
• An Interim Government at the Centre consisting of representatives of all communities would be installed on the basis of parity between the representatives of the Hindus and Muslims.