1948 Indian General Elections Begin

General elections were held in British India in December 1945 to elect members of the Central Legislative Assembly and the Council of State.^¹ Election under Government of India Act 1935 were held with limited franchise and only around 10% of the population in direct British controlled provinces were eligible to vote based on their income and property.^¹ The Indian National Congress emerged as the largest party, winning 57 of the 102 elected seats.^¹ The Muslim League won all Muslim constituencies, but failed to win any other seats.^¹ Of the 13 remaining seats, 8 went to Europeans, 3 to independents, and 2 to Akali candidates in the Sikh constituencies of Punjab.^¹ This election coupled with the provincial one in 1946 proved to be a strategic victory for Jinnah and the partitionists.^¹ Even though Congress won, the League had united the Muslim vote and as such it gained the negotiating power to seek a separate Muslim homeland as it became clear that a united India would prove highly unstable.^¹ The elected members later formed the Constituent Assembly of India.^¹