Why 1947 Boundary Commission awards for Punjab and Bengal irked India

Subject: History

Section : Modern India

Context:

On August 17, 1947, two days after Independence, the award of the Boundary Commissions for the partition of Punjab and Bengal was announced.

What were the two Boundary Commissions?

In June 1947, Sir Cyril John Radcliffe, a British lawyer, was made the Chairman of two boundary commissions of Punjab and Bengal and given the task to draw up the new borders of India and Pakistan. He was given a period of five weeks to complete this task and arrived in India in July 1947. The boundary commissions of Punjab and Bengal also included two nominees each of the Indian National Congress and Muslim League respectively.
The Boundary Commissions award was made public on August 17, 1947 also known as the Radcliffe Line.
The Radcliffe line divided India and Pakistan into two different countries. Radcliffe divided India into three halves:
- West Pakistan
- East Pakistan(present day Bangladesh) and
- India