From the archives of Hindustan Times: July 2, 2019| Procedure for partition of Armed Force

Details of the procedure for the partition of the Indian Armed Forces, which have been agreed to by the Partition Council, were announced in a comprehensive 1,500-word communique’ issued from the Viceroy’s House on Tuesday (July 1).

From August 15 the Union of India and Pakistan will have within their territories forces wh hich are under their own ope erational command and are predominantly composed of non-Muslims and Muslims respectively. As an interim measure, therefore, there will be a rough division of the forces on a communal basis,-which, it is hoped, will be finalized by April 1, 1948, so that by that date the two armies are reorganized on a permanent territorial basis. A Joint Defence Council will be set up after August 15 and will have the supreme control of the Armed Forces for the interim period. It will consist of the Governor-Gen-G eral or Governors-Gener ral, the two Defence Minist ters, and the Commander-in-Chief, India. The heads of the Navy, Army and Air Force of the Union of India and of Pakistan are to be selected forthwith and are to have authority to begin setting up their Headquarters, so as to be ready to take over command by August 15. They will be directly responsible to their respective Ministries through their Defence Ministers and will have executive control of all the Forces in their territories.

The following is the text of the communique:

The Partition Council met yesterday morning, June 30, under the Chairmanship of the Viceroy, to consider the reconstitution of the Armed Forces. The Hon’ble Sardar Patel and the Hon’ble Dr Rajendra Prasad represented the Congress and Mr Jinnah and the Hon’ble Liaquat Ali Khan represented the Muslim League.