By which Act passed by the British Parliament were India and Pakistan created as two separate independent dominions in 1947?

Introduction / Context:
The formal legal basis for the end of British rule in India and the creation of two independent dominions, India and Pakistan, was provided by a specific Act of the British Parliament. This Act set out the constitutional framework for the transfer of power, the division of territories, and the status of the new states. Questions on modern Indian history often ask you to recall the exact name of this legislation and the year in which it was passed.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The year is 1947, which is when India and Pakistan became independent.
• The question concerns an Act passed by the British Parliament in London.
• The options include several similar sounding names plus the Government of India Act 1935.
• You must identify the official title of the Act that created the two dominions.

Concept / Approach:
The British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act 1947, which provided that from a specified date, British India would be divided into two independent dominions, India and Pakistan. The Act detailed the powers of the new Constituent Assemblies and the status of the Governor General in each dominion. While people often speak informally of partition, there was no official statute called the Indian Partition Act or Pakistan Independence Act. The Government of India Act 1935 was an earlier constitutional framework and not the instrument that granted independence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that official control passed from Britain to the new dominions on 15 August 1947. Step 2: Recognise that this transfer required a formal law enacted by the British Parliament. Step 3: Identify that the correct statute was titled the Indian Independence Act 1947. Step 4: Note that although partition did occur, there was no law officially called the Indian Partition Act 1947 or Pakistan Partition Act 1947. Step 5: Understand that the Government of India Act 1935 was an earlier constitutional measure that introduced provincial autonomy but did not grant full independence or create Pakistan. Step 6: Therefore, the only accurate and official title among the options is Indian Independence Act 1947.

Verification / Alternative check:
Constitutional histories and civics textbooks discuss the Indian Independence Act 1947 as the key legal document that ended British sovereignty in India. They quote its provisions regarding the formation of two dominions, the powers of their Constituent Assemblies, and the termination of British responsibility for their governance. No serious reference work lists an Act called Pakistan Independence Act 1947 or Indian Partition Act 1947 as the primary statute of independence. This confirms that Indian Independence Act 1947 is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Pakistan Independence Act 1947: There was no separate British statute with this exact title; Pakistan status flowed from the Indian Independence Act.

Indian Partition Act 1947: Partition was a historical process, but the law that implemented it was still called the Indian Independence Act, not Partition Act.
Pakistan Partition Act 1947: This is not a recognised legal title in standard constitutional histories.
Government of India Act 1935: Although very important, this Act did not create independent dominions; it framed provincial autonomy and federal features under continued British rule.

Common Pitfalls:
Because the term partition is commonly used in everyday language, some candidates mistakenly assume that the law must also have had Partition in its name. Others think there might have been separate independence acts for India and Pakistan. To avoid such confusion, focus on the official title Indian Independence Act 1947 and remember that it simultaneously created two dominions, India and Pakistan, under one statute.

Final Answer:
India and Pakistan were created as separate independent dominions by the Indian Independence Act 1947 passed by the British Parliament.