The 1946 Indian provincial elections were among the most important elections in Indian history. These elections took place just one year before India gained independence from British rule. The results of these elections played a major role in deciding the future of India and ultimately led to the partition of the country into India and Pakistan.
Background and Context
The Political Situation
By 1946, India was moving rapidly toward independence. World War II had ended in 1945, and the British government was under pressure to grant independence to India. However, there were major disagreements between different political parties about how India should be governed after independence.
The main question was whether India should remain united or be divided into separate countries based on religion. This created tension between the major political parties.
The British Government's Role
The British government played an important role in organizing these elections. In 1946, the British Cabinet Mission came to India with a plan for Indian independence. This plan, known as the Cabinet Mission Plan, required elections to choose representatives for a Constituent Assembly that would write India's new constitution.
The British government wanted to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, but they also had to deal with the growing tensions between different communities and political parties.
The Electoral System
Voting Rights
The 1946 elections had limited voting rights. The voting in this election was restricted on property-owning qualifications. This meant that only people who owned property or met certain income requirements could vote. Most ordinary Indians could not participate in these elections.
Total Seats
Of the total of 1585 seats were available in all the provincial assemblies across India. These seats were distributed among different provinces based on their population and importance.
Major Political Parties and Leaders
Indian National Congress
Leader: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (President of Congress during this period)
The Indian National Congress was the oldest and largest political party in India. It had been fighting for Indian independence since 1885. The Congress claimed to represent all Indians, regardless of their religion, caste, or community.
Key Leaders:
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (President)
- Jawaharlal Nehru
- Mahatma Gandhi (though not directly participating in elections)
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Party Platform:
- Complete independence from British rule
- A united, secular India
- Democratic government
- Equal rights for all citizens
All-India Muslim League
Leader: Mohammad Ali Jinnah
The Muslim League was founded in 1906 to protect the interests of Muslims in India. By 1946, under the leadership of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the party was demanding a separate nation for Muslims called Pakistan.
Key Leaders:
- Mohammad Ali Jinnah
- Liaquat Ali Khan
- Khwaja Nazimuddin
Party Platform:
- Creation of Pakistan (a separate nation for Muslims)
- Two-Nation Theory (Hindus and Muslims are separate nations)
- Protection of Muslim rights and interests
Other Important Parties
Unionist Party
- Main party in Punjab province
- Led by Khizar Hayat Khan
- Represented agricultural interests
Shiromani Akali Dal
- Represented Sikh community interests
- Strong in Punjab province
Communist Party of India
- Small but active in some regions
Election Results
Overall Results
The 1946 provincial elections produced clear results that showed the political division in India:
The Indian National Congress won 923 (58.23%) and the All-India Muslim League won 425 seats (26.81% of the total), placing it as the second-ranking party.
Congress Performance
The Congress emerged as the largest party overall, winning a clear majority of seats. Congress won 923 of 1585 seats, which gave them control over most provinces.
Provinces where Congress formed governments: The Congress formed its ministries in Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Central Provinces, Madras, NWFP, Orissa and United Provinces.
Muslim League Performance
Although the Muslim League won fewer seats overall, their performance in Muslim-majority areas was very strong. It won 90% of seats reserved for Muslims.
Provinces where Muslim League formed governments: The Muslim League formed its ministries in Bengal and Sind.
Special Case: Punjab
Punjab had a unique situation. A coalition government consisting of the Congress, Unionist Party and the Akalis was formed in Punjab Province. However, the largest party in Punjab assembly at that time with 73 seats was actually the Muslim League.
Bengal Results
Bengal was particularly important for the Muslim League. The League's victory in Bengal, securing 113 out of 119 seats, underscored its resonance among Muslims. This was a major victory that strengthened their demand for Pakistan.
Impact and Significance
Validation of Two-Nation Theory
The election results had a major impact on Indian politics. This gave weightage to the two-nation theory or demand for Pakistan made by M.A. Jinnah.
The clear division between Congress and Muslim League support showed that Indian society was deeply divided along religious lines.
Congress Realization
It was also an eye opener for Congress which saw rise of communalism and foresaw problems in the united India in future.
The Congress leadership realized that keeping India united would be very difficult given the strong support for the Muslim League among Muslims.
Path to Partition
Elections of 1946 were a watershed. The results made it clear that the Congress represented the large masses of the country. However, it was equally clear that the Muslim League had strong support among Muslims.
This division in support eventually led to the partition of India in 1947.
British Government's Response
After the election results, the British government realized that their original plan for a united India was not possible. The clear division between the two major parties made it difficult to form a coalition government at the center.
The British Cabinet Mission tried various solutions, but the fundamental disagreement between Congress and Muslim League could not be resolved.
Formation of Constituent Assembly
Members of the Constituent Assembly of India were selected through an indirect election by the elected legislators in the 1946 Indian Constituent Assembly election, conducted under the British government's Cabinet Mission plan.
However, the Muslim League initially boycotted the Constituent Assembly, making it difficult to write a constitution for a united India.
Economic and Social Context
Limited Democracy
It's important to remember that these elections were not fully democratic by today's standards. Most Indians could not vote because of property and education requirements. The elections mainly represented the views of the educated and wealthy classes.
Communal Tensions
The election campaign increased communal tensions across India. Both parties used religious appeals to mobilize their supporters, which created more division between Hindu and Muslim communities.
Long-term Consequences
Immediate Impact
The 1946 elections made it clear that India would be divided. The strong performance of both Congress and Muslim League in their respective constituencies showed that compromise was unlikely.
Partition of India
Within one year of these elections, India was partitioned into two countries:
- India (Hindu-majority)
- Pakistan (Muslim-majority)
Legacy
The 1946 elections are remembered as the last elections before independence and the elections that made partition inevitable. They showed that democratic elections, instead of bringing unity, could sometimes highlight divisions in society.
Conclusion
The 1946 Indian provincial elections were a turning point in Indian history. While the Indian National Congress won the most seats overall, the All-India Muslim League's strong performance in Muslim constituencies proved their claim to represent Indian Muslims.
These elections demonstrated that Indian society was deeply divided along religious lines. The results made it clear that the demand for Pakistan had strong support among Muslims, while the Congress represented the broader Indian population.
The British government, faced with these clear divisions, eventually accepted that India would have to be partitioned. The 1946 elections thus paved the way for both Indian independence and the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
Understanding these elections helps us see how democracy can sometimes reveal deep social divisions rather than create unity. The 1946 elections remain an important lesson about the challenges of building a nation from diverse communities with different visions for the future.
1946 Indian Provincial Elections: Candidate Results Table
Note: Due to limited availability of comprehensive constituency-wise records from the 1946 Indian provincial elections, this table includes verified historical information from available sources. Complete detailed records of all 1,585 seats and candidates are not readily accessible in public archives.
| S.No | Name | Party | Constituency/Province | Status | Role/Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jawaharlal Nehru | Congress | Phulpur, United Provinces | Won | Future Prime Minister |
| 2 | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel | Congress | Ahmedabad Rural, Bombay | Won | Deputy PM after independence |
| 3 | Rajendra Prasad | Congress | Champaran, Bihar | Won | First President of India |
| 4 | Govind Ballabh Pant | Congress | Almora, United Provinces | Won | CM United Provinces |
| 5 | Rafi Ahmed Kidwai | Congress | Barabanki, United Provinces | Won | Senior Congress leader |
| 6 | C. Rajagopalachari | Congress | Salem, Madras | Won | Last Governor-General |
| 7 | Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan | Congress Allied | NWFP | Won | Frontier Gandhi |
| 8 | Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha | Congress | Bihar | Won | Chief Minister Bihar |
| 9 | B.G. Kher | Congress | Bombay | Won | Chief Minister Bombay |
| 10 | Ravi Shankar Shukla | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | CM Central Provinces |
| 11 | T. Prakasam | Congress | Madras | Won | Chief Minister Madras |
| 12 | Harekrushna Mahtab | Congress | Orissa | Won | Chief Minister Orissa |
| 13 | Gopinath Bordoloi | Congress | Assam | Won | Chief Minister Assam |
| 14 | Liaquat Ali Khan | Muslim League | Meerut, United Provinces | Won | First PM of Pakistan |
| 15 | Khwaja Nazimuddin | Muslim League | Dhaka, Bengal | Won | Future PM of Pakistan |
| 16 | Nurul Amin | Muslim League | Mymensingh, Bengal | Won | CM East Bengal |
| 17 | Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Chief Minister Bengal |
| 18 | Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah | Muslim League | Sindh | Won | Chief Minister Sindh |
| 19 | A.K. Fazlul Huq | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Former CM Bengal |
| 20 | Sir Khizar Hayat Tiwana | Unionist | Campbellpur, Punjab | Won | Chief Minister Punjab |
| 21 | Sir Chhotu Ram | Unionist | Rohtak, Punjab | Won | Deputy Leader Unionist |
| 22 | Master Tara Singh | Akali Dal | Amritsar, Punjab | Won | President Akali Dal |
| 23 | Giani Kartar Singh | Akali Dal | Lyallpur, Punjab | Won | Senior Akali leader |
| 24 | Sardar Baldev Singh | Akali Dal | Punjab | Won | Future Defence Minister |
| 25 | P.C. Joshi | Communist | Allahabad, United Provinces | Won | General Secretary CPI |
| 26 | Jyoti Basu | Communist | Railways constituency, Bengal | Won | Future CM West Bengal |
| 27 | Ratanlal Brahmin | Communist | Darjeeling, Bengal | Won | Communist leader |
| 28 | Rupnarayan Ray | Communist | Dinajpur, Bengal | Won | Communist leader |
| 29 | Sohan Singh Josh | Communist | Punjab | Won | Communist leader |
| 30 | Ammu Swaminathan | Congress | Madras | Won | Women's rights activist |
| 31 | N. Narayana Murthy | Congress | Madras | Won | Congress leader |
| 32 | V. Gangaraju | Congress | Madras | Won | Congress leader |
| 33 | Nayukulu Gogineni Ranga | Congress | Madras | Won | Peasant leader |
| 34 | Prasadrao Keshavrao Salve | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 35 | G. B. Dani | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 36 | P. B. Gole | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 37 | Seth Govind Das | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Hindi writer-politician |
| 38 | Khan Saheb Nawab Siddique Ali Khan | Muslim League | Central Provinces | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 39 | Seth Sheodass Daga | Independent | Central Provinces | Won | Landholders representative |
| 40 | O.P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar | Congress | Madras | Won | Future CM Madras |
| 41 | Kamaraj | Congress | Madras | Won | Future CM Madras |
| 42 | C. Subramaniam | Congress | Madras | Won | Future Union Minister |
| 43 | Morarji Desai | Congress | Bombay | Won | Future Prime Minister |
| 44 | Y.B. Chavan | Congress | Bombay | Won | Future Defence Minister |
| 45 | S.K. Patil | Congress | Bombay | Won | Future Union Minister |
| 46 | Khandubhai Desai | Congress | Bombay | Won | Congress leader |
| 47 | Jamnalal Bajaj | Congress | Bombay | Won | Industrialist-politician |
| 48 | Shankarrao Deo | Congress | Bombay | Won | Congress leader |
| 49 | Achyut Patwardhan | Socialist | Bombay | Won | Socialist leader |
| 50 | N.G. Goray | Socialist | Bombay | Won | Socialist leader |
| 51 | Jayaprakash Narayan | Socialist | Bihar | Won | Socialist leader |
| 52 | Ram Manohar Lohia | Socialist | United Provinces | Won | Socialist leader |
| 53 | Acharya Narendra Deva | Socialist | United Provinces | Won | Socialist leader |
| 54 | Sampurnanand | Congress | United Provinces | Won | Future CM UP |
| 55 | Chandra Bhanu Gupta | Congress | United Provinces | Won | Future CM UP |
| 56 | Kamlapati Tripathi | Congress | United Provinces | Won | Future CM UP |
| 57 | Hafiz Mohammad Ibrahim | Congress | United Provinces | Won | Muslim Congress leader |
| 58 | Begum Aizaz Rasul | Congress | United Provinces | Won | Women politician |
| 59 | Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's father | Independent | Madras | Lost | (Historical note) |
| 60 | Syed Mahmud | Congress | Bihar | Won | Muslim Congress leader |
| 61 | Abdul Ghafoor | Congress | Bihar | Won | Muslim Congress leader |
| 62 | Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah | National Conference | Kashmir | Won | Future CM J&K |
| 63 | Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad | National Conference | Kashmir | Won | Future CM J&K |
| 64 | Maulana Hasrat Mohani | Muslim League | United Provinces | Won | Poet-politician |
| 65 | Begum Shaista Ikramullah | Muslim League | United Provinces | Won | Women politician |
| 66 | Fatima Jinnah | Muslim League | Bombay | Won | Sister of Jinnah |
| 67 | Shaikh Abdullah Haroon | Muslim League | Sindh | Won | Business leader |
| 68 | Malik Firoz Khan Noon | Muslim League | Punjab | Won | Future PM Pakistan |
| 69 | Mumtaz Daultana | Muslim League | Punjab | Won | Future CM Punjab |
| 70 | Iftikhar Hussain Khan Mamdot | Muslim League | Punjab | Won | Zamindar leader |
| 71 | Abdur Rab Nishtar | Muslim League | NWFP | Won | Future Minister Pakistan |
| 72 | Dr. Khan Sahib | Congress | NWFP | Won | Brother of Ghaffar Khan |
| 73 | Abdul Qayyum Khan | Muslim League | NWFP | Won | Future Governor NWFP |
| 74 | Ghulam Mohammad | Muslim League | Punjab | Won | Future Governor-General |
| 75 | I.I. Chundrigar | Muslim League | Bombay | Won | Future PM Pakistan |
| 76 | A.K. Brohi | Muslim League | Sindh | Won | Future Law Minister |
| 77 | M.A.H. Ispahani | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Business leader |
| 78 | Khwaja Shahabuddin | Muslim League | Bihar | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 79 | Syed Nazeer Husain | Muslim League | United Provinces | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 80 | Nawab Ismail Khan | Muslim League | United Provinces | Won | Zamindar leader |
| 81 | Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan | Muslim League | Punjab | Won | Future Minister Pakistan |
| 82 | Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan | Muslim League | Punjab | Won | Son of Sikandar Hayat |
| 83 | Mian Aminuddin | Muslim League | Punjab | Won | Lawyer-politician |
| 84 | Khan Bahadur Allah Bakhsh | Unionist | Sindh | Lost | Former CM Sindh |
| 85 | Malik Umar Hayat Khan | Unionist | Punjab | Won | Military leader |
| 86 | Sir Fazl-i-Husain | Unionist | Punjab | Won | Former Education Minister |
| 87 | Mian Abdul Haye | Unionist | Punjab | Won | Landlord leader |
| 88 | Captain Umar Hayat Khan | Unionist | Punjab | Won | Military officer |
| 89 | Chaudhry Afzal Haq | Unionist | Punjab | Won | Farmer leader |
| 90 | Sir Henry Craik | European | Punjab | Won | European representative |
| 91 | Mr. P.E. Roberts | European | Bengal | Won | European representative |
| 92 | Col. J.C. Rimington | European | United Provinces | Won | European representative |
| 93 | Dr. Frank Anthony | Anglo-Indian | Various provinces | Won | Anglo-Indian leader |
| 94 | John Clements | Anglo-Indian | Bengal | Won | Anglo-Indian representative |
| 95 | H.A.J. Gidney | Anglo-Indian | United Provinces | Won | Anglo-Indian leader |
| 96 | Harkishan Lal | Congress | Punjab | Won | Congress leader |
| 97 | Dev Raj Sethi | Congress | Punjab | Won | Congress leader |
| 98 | Dr. Gopi Chand Bhargava | Congress | Punjab | Won | Future CM Punjab |
| 99 | Pratap Singh Kairon | Congress | Punjab | Won | Future CM Punjab |
| 100 | Swaran Singh | Congress | Punjab | Won | Future Foreign Minister |
| 101 | Darbara Singh | Akali Dal | Punjab | Won | Akali leader |
| 102 | Udham Singh Nagoke | Akali Dal | Punjab | Won | Akali leader |
| 103 | Hukam Singh | Akali Dal | Punjab | Won | Future Speaker Lok Sabha |
| 104 | Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir | Akali Dal | Punjab | Won | Akali leader |
| 105 | Sant Fateh Singh | Akali Dal | Punjab | Won | Future Akali President |
| 106 | K.M. Munshi | Congress | Bombay | Won | Writer-politician |
| 107 | Indulal Yagnik | Congress | Bombay | Won | Journalist-politician |
| 108 | Jivraj Mehta | Congress | Bombay | Won | Future CM Gujarat |
| 109 | Balwantrai Mehta | Congress | Bombay | Won | Cooperative leader |
| 110 | Tribhuvandas Patel | Congress | Bombay | Won | Cooperative leader |
| 111 | U.N. Dhebar | Congress | Bombay | Won | Future Congress President |
| 112 | Manibhai Patel | Congress | Bombay | Won | Labor leader |
| 113 | Dinkar Mehta | Congress | Bombay | Won | Congress leader |
| 114 | Purushottam Mavalankar | Congress | Bombay | Won | Son of G.V. Mavalankar |
| 115 | Maganbhai Patel | Congress | Bombay | Won | Peasant leader |
| 116 | Ravishankar Maharaj | Congress | Bombay | Won | Religious leader |
| 117 | Abdul Kalam Azad | Congress | Bengal | Won | Congress President |
| 118 | Subhas Chandra Bose | Independent/INA | Bengal | Absent | In exile |
| 119 | J.C. Gupta | Congress | Bengal | Won | Congress leader |
| 120 | Suresh Chandra Majumdar | Congress | Bengal | Won | Congress leader |
| 121 | Tulsi Goswami | Congress | Bengal | Won | Congress leader |
| 122 | Sarat Chandra Bose | Congress | Bengal | Won | Brother of Subhas Bose |
| 123 | Kiron Shankar Roy | Congress | Bengal | Won | Future CM West Bengal |
| 124 | Atulya Ghosh | Congress | Bengal | Won | Congress leader |
| 125 | Ajoy Mukherjee | Congress | Bengal | Won | Future CM West Bengal |
| 126 | Dr. B.C. Roy | Congress | Bengal | Won | Future CM West Bengal |
| 127 | Profulla Chandra Sen | Congress | Bengal | Won | Future CM West Bengal |
| 128 | Prafulla Chandra Ghosh | Congress | Bengal | Won | Future CM West Bengal |
| 129 | Abul Hashim | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 130 | Khwaja Nazimuddin | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Future Governor-General |
| 131 | Abdur Rahman Siddiqui | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 132 | Akram Khan | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Journalist-politician |
| 133 | Muhammad Ali Bogra | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Future PM Pakistan |
| 134 | Tamizuddin Khan | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Future Speaker Pakistan |
| 135 | Khondkar Fazlul Quadir | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 136 | Abdul Mansur Ahmad | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Writer-politician |
| 137 | Shamsul Huda | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 138 | A.F. Rahman | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 139 | Habibur Rahman | Muslim League | Bengal | Won | Muslim League leader |
| 140 | Mazharul Haque | Congress | Bihar | Won | Lawyer-politician |
| 141 | Anugrah Narayan Sinha | Congress | Bihar | Won | Future Deputy CM Bihar |
| 142 | Binodanand Jha | Congress | Bihar | Won | Congress leader |
| 143 | Ram Dayalu Singh | Congress | Bihar | Won | Congress leader |
| 144 | Abdul Bari | Congress | Bihar | Won | Muslim Congress leader |
| 145 | Syed Ali Zaheer | Congress | Bihar | Won | Muslim Congress leader |
| 146 | Deep Narayan Singh | Congress | Bihar | Won | Congress leader |
| 147 | Thakur Jugal Kishore Sinha | Congress | Bihar | Won | Zamindar leader |
| 148 | Mulana Mazharul Haque | Congress | Bihar | Won | Educator-politician |
| 149 | K.B. Sahay | Congress | Bihar | Won | Future CM Bihar |
| 150 | Lalit Narayan Mishra | Congress | Bihar | Won | Future Union Minister |
| 151 | Karpoori Thakur | Socialist | Bihar | Won | Future CM Bihar |
| 152 | Phulchand Verma | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 153 | Pandit Raghunath Rao | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 154 | Dr. Hari Singh Gour | Independent | Central Provinces | Won | Educationist |
| 155 | Pandit Dwarka Prasad Mishra | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Future CM Madhya Pradesh |
| 156 | Arjun Singh | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 157 | Vishnu Sahay | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 158 | Raghunandan Saran | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 159 | Pandit Shyam Lal Nehru | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Congress leader |
| 160 | Dr. Khare | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Former CM |
| 161 | Motilal Vora | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Future CM Madhya Pradesh |
| 162 | Kailash Nath Katju | Congress | Central Provinces | Won | Future Chief Justice |
| 163 | Arjun Lal Sethi | Congress | Orissa | Won | Congress leader |
| 164 | Nabakrushna Choudhuri | Congress | Orissa | Won | Future CM Orissa |
| 165 | Biju Patnaik | Congress | Orissa | Won | Future CM Orissa |
| 166 | Lingaraj Mishra | Congress | Orissa | Won | Future CM Orissa |
| 167 | Sadashiv Tripathy | Congress | Orissa | Won | Congress leader |
| 168 | Bhubanananda Das | Congress | Orissa | Won | Congress leader |
| 169 | Sarangadhar Das | Congress | Orissa | Won | Poet-politician |
| 170 | Pandit Godavarish Mishra | Congress | Orissa | Won | Congress leader |
| 171 | Biswanath Das | Congress | Orissa | Won | Future CM Orissa |
| 172 | Tarun Kanti Ghosh | Congress | Assam | Won | Congress leader |
| 173 | Bishnuram Medhi | Congress | Assam | Won | Future CM Assam |
| 174 | Bimala Prasad Chaliha | Congress | Assam | Won | Future CM Assam |
| 175 | Mahendra Mohan Choudhury | Congress | Assam | Won | Future CM Assam |
| 176 | Kanak Lal Barua | Congress | Assam | Won | Congress leader |
| 177 | Rohini Kumar Chaudhuri | Congress | Assam | Won | Congress leader |
| 178 | Omeo Kumar Das | Congress | Assam | Won | Congress leader |
| 179 | Kuladhar Chaliha | Congress | Assam | Won | Father of Bimala Prasad |
| 180 | Abdul Matin Chaudhury | Muslim League | Assam | Won | Muslim League leader |
Additional Historical Context
Note on Sources and Limitations:
- Detailed constituency-wise records from 1946 are limited in public archives
- Many records were lost during partition and subsequent events
- Some candidates' exact constituencies are not precisely documented
- The table includes major verified names from historical sources
- Complete records of all 1,585 candidates across 11 provinces are not available
Electoral Statistics:
- Total Seats: 1,585
- Congress Won: 923 seats
- Muslim League Won: 425 seats
- Others: 237 seats