Between the 15th August 1947 when India became free and the 26th January 1950 when she declared herself a democratic sovereign republic, the Government of India functioned under the provisions of:

1. Government of India Act 1935: The Constitutional Blueprint (basic)

Hello! It’s wonderful to have you here. To understand how India became a sovereign republic, we first have to look at the massive structural foundation that preceded it: the Government of India Act of 1935. Think of this Act as the "Constitutional Blueprint." It was the longest and most detailed piece of legislation enacted by the British Parliament for India, and its influence was so profound that about 75% of our current Constitution’s structural framework is derived from it M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Salient Features of the Constitution, p.41.

The Act aimed to transform India from a unitary system (where the Center holds all power) into a Federation. It proposed an "All-India Federation" consisting of British Indian Provinces and Princely States as units. While the Federation itself never came into being because the Princely States chose not to join, the Act successfully introduced Provincial Autonomy in 1937 D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Historical Background, p.8. This meant provinces were no longer just agents of the Center; they became autonomous units of administration with their own legal authority.

Crucially, the Act established a clear division of powers through three lists: the Federal List, the Provincial List, and the Concurrent List Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Debates on the Future Strategy after Civil Disobedience Movement, p.410. Even though we eventually gained independence, this Act remained the functional law of the land during India's transition period as a Dominion (1947–1950). Until our own Constitution was ready, India was governed by an adapted version of this 1935 statute.

Feature	Act of 1919 (Previous)	Act of 1935 (The Blueprint)
Structure	Unitary & Centralized	Proposed Federation
Provincial Setup	Diarchy (Dual Government)	Provincial Autonomy
Division of Powers	Administrative Devolution	Three-fold Legislative Lists

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, p.8; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), Salient Features of the Constitution, p.41; A Brief History of Modern India, Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum 2019 ed.), Debates on the Future Strategy after Civil Disobedience Movement, p.410

2. The Indian Independence Act of 1947: Provisions and Partition (basic)

The Indian Independence Act of 1947 was the final legal instrument that ended British rule in India. It was based on the Mountbatten Plan (or the 3rd June Plan) and was passed by the British Parliament with remarkable speed, receiving Royal Assent on July 18, 1947 D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, THE MAKING OF THE CONSTITUTION, p.18. This Act didn't just grant freedom; it fundamentally reshaped the legal landscape by creating two independent Dominions: India and Pakistan.

One of the most critical provisions was the transformation of the Constituent Assembly. Under the Act, this body became fully sovereign, meaning it could repeal or alter any law made by the British Parliament, including the Independence Act itself Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Making of the Constitution for India, p.615. While the Assembly worked on drafting the new Constitution, the country needed a functional legal system. Section 8 of the Act provided a temporary bridge: it stipulated that until the new Constitution was ready, both Dominions would be governed as nearly as possible in accordance with the Government of India Act, 1935 M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Preamble of the Constitution, p.43.

The Act also addressed the complex issue of the 565 Princely States. It declared the lapse of British Paramountcy (suzerainty), meaning the legal relationship between the British Crown and the Indian States ended D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF OUR CONSTITUTION, p.51. Legally, these states became independent and were given the choice to join either India or Pakistan, or theoretically, to remain independent. This created a massive challenge for national unity, as the decision was left to the princely rulers rather than the people NCERT, Politics in India since Independence, Challenges of Nation Building, p.14.

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, THE MAKING OF THE CONSTITUTION, p.18; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF OUR CONSTITUTION, p.51; A Brief History of Modern India, Rajiv Ahir, Making of the Constitution for India, p.615; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Preamble of the Constitution, p.43; Politics in India since Independence, NCERT, Challenges of Nation Building, p.14

3. Understanding 'Dominion Status' (1947–1950) (intermediate)

Imagine India’s journey to full independence not as a sudden jump, but as a carefully managed transition. Between August 15, 1947, and January 26, 1950, India was technically a Dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations. This wasn't the 'dependency' or colony status of the past; it was a status of equality. As a Dominion, India was an autonomous unit, equal in status to the United Kingdom and other dominions like Canada or Australia History, Class XII (TN State Board), Unit 7, p.99. This period served as a 'constitutional bridge' while the Constituent Assembly worked on drafting our own original Constitution. During these two and a half years, how was India governed? Since the new Constitution wasn't ready, the Indian Independence Act of 1947 provided the legal framework. It mandated that the government of the Dominion of India would be carried out, as nearly as possible, in accordance with the Government of India Act of 1935 D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, Chapter 1, p.11. However, there was a massive shift in power: the British Monarch lost the right to veto bills, and the Governor-General became a purely Constitutional Head, acting solely on the advice of the Indian Cabinet M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Chapter 1, p.9.

Feature	Pre-1947 (Dependency)	1947–1950 (Dominion)
Source of Power	British Parliament	Indian Independence Act / Constituent Assembly
Governor-General	Representative of the Crown with Veto power	Constitutional Head acting on Indian Cabinet advice
Legislative Power	Limited and subject to British approval	Full sovereign power to repeal or amend any British Act

This interim arrangement ended on January 26, 1950. By declaring herself a Sovereign Republic, India ceased to be a British Dominion. Interestingly, while India became a Republic, she chose to remain a member of the Commonwealth for pragmatic economic and political reasons, accepting the British Crown only as a symbolic 'Head of the Commonwealth'—a declaration that does not affect India's internal or external sovereignty in any way M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Chapter 5/71, p.43/609.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Preamble of the Constitution, p.43; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), The Historical Background, p.11; History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Last Phase of Indian National Movement, p.99; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Historical Background, p.9; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Foreign Policy, p.609

4. Dual Role of the Constituent Assembly (intermediate)

Concept: Dual Role of the Constituent Assembly

5. Repeal of Acts: Article 395 and Constitutional Commencement (exam-level)

When India became independent on August 15, 1947, it did not immediately become a Republic. Instead, it functioned as a Dominion within the British Commonwealth for nearly two and a half years. During this interim period, the legal machinery of the country didn't just vanish; it was governed by the Indian Independence Act of 1947. Crucially, this Act stipulated that until a new Constitution was framed, the government would be run using the framework of the Government of India Act, 1935, with necessary modifications Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 25, p.495. This created a legal bridge, ensuring there was no vacuum in administration while the Constituent Assembly finalized our own homegrown document.

The birth of the Republic on January 26, 1950, required a formal "severing of the umbilical cord" from the British Parliament. This was achieved through Article 395 of the Constitution. This specific article performed a vital legal cleanup: it officially repealed both the Indian Independence Act, 1947, and the Government of India Act, 1935 (along with all subsequent amendments to the latter) Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Making of the Constitution, p.16. By doing so, India ceased to be a British Dominion and transformed into a fully sovereign, independent Republic, drawing its authority solely from the people of India rather than a statute of the British Parliament.

Feature	Pre-January 26, 1950	Post-January 26, 1950
Legal Status	Dominion of India	Republic of India
Governing Statutes	Independence Act 1947 & GoI Act 1935	Constitution of India
Source of Authority	British Parliament Statutes	The People of India

However, there was one notable exception to this mass repeal. The Abolition of Privy Council Jurisdiction Act (1949) was not repealed by Article 395 Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Making of the Constitution, p.16. This was necessary because the Privy Council (which had been the highest court of appeal for India during the British Raj) needed to be completely replaced by the Supreme Court of India's jurisdiction, and that specific transition was protected to ensure judicial continuity. Thus, while the major colonial-era constitutional acts were buried, the legal shift in the judiciary was carefully preserved.

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, p.10; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Making of the Constitution, p.16; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Independence with Partition, p.495

6. The Legal Framework of the Interim Period (exam-level)

When India achieved independence on August 15, 1947, it did not immediately transition into a Republic. Instead, for a period of nearly two and a half years, India existed as an independent Dominion within the British Commonwealth. This created a unique legal challenge: how does a newly independent nation govern itself while its own Constitution is still being drafted? The answer lay in a temporary but robust legal framework that bridged the gap between British rule and the birth of the Republic on January 26, 1950 M. Laxmikanth, Preamble of the Constitution, p. 43.

The primary pillar of this framework was the Indian Independence Act of 1947. While this Act officially ended British rule, Section 8 of the Act provided a ingenious solution for continuity: it stipulated that until the new Constitution was ready, the governance of the Dominion would be carried out "as nearly as may be" in accordance with the Government of India Act, 1935 Rajiv Ahir, Independence with Partition, p. 495. To make this work, the 1935 Act was modified through Adaptation Orders to remove provisions that were no longer relevant, such as the authority of the British Parliament or the Secretary of State for India D. D. Basu, The Historical Background, p. 10.

During this interim period, the Constituent Assembly played a dual role. Under the 1947 Act, it was declared a fully sovereign body, meaning it had the absolute power to legislate for the country and even modify or repeal any act of the British Parliament, including the Independence Act itself Rajiv Ahir, Making of the Constitution for India, p. 615. Furthermore, Section 7(1)(b) of the 1947 Act ensured the lapse of suzerainty (Paramountcy) of the British Crown over the Indian Princely States, technically making them independent and allowing them to choose which Dominion to join D. D. Basu, Outstanding Features of Our Constitution, p. 51.

Feature	Interim Framework (1947–1950)
Operating Statute	Government of India Act, 1935 (as adapted)
Enabling Statute	Indian Independence Act, 1947
Legislative Authority	Sovereign Constituent Assembly
End of Framework	Repealed by the commencement of the Constitution of India (1950)

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Preamble of the Constitution, p.43; A Brief History of Modern India, Rajiv Ahir, Independence with Partition, p.495; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, p.10; A Brief History of Modern India, Rajiv Ahir, Making of the Constitution for India, p.615; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF OUR CONSTITUTION, p.51

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

To solve this question, you must connect two major concepts you've just studied: the transfer of power and the evolution of constitutional machinery. While the Indian Independence Act 1947 was the legal instrument that ended British rule and created the two Dominions, it did not provide a comprehensive administrative code for day-to-day governance. Reasoning through this requires distinguishing between the 'source of authority' and the 'functional manual' of government. As noted in Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, the 1947 Act specifically stipulated in Section 8 that until a new Constitution was framed, each Dominion would be governed as nearly as possible in accordance with the Government of India Act 1935.

Therefore, the correct answer is (A) The Government of India Act 1935. During this transition period (1947–1950), India remained a 'Dominion' within the British Commonwealth. The 1935 Act, though stripped of its 'princely state' provisions and the Governor-General's discretionary powers via the Indian (Provisional Constitution) Order 1947, provided the essential federal structure and administrative framework. A common trap here is to choose Option (B); however, the 1947 Act served as the 'enabling' legislation that authorized the 1935 Act to continue as the interim governance framework. Option (C) is a distractor, as it was merely the executive tool used to adapt the 1935 Act, not the primary governing statute itself.

This period ended on 26th January 1950, when India formally adopted its own Constitution and repealed both the 1935 Act and the 1947 Act, as explained in Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu. UPSC frequently tests this 'bridge' period to see if you understand that governance is a continuous process that relies on existing legal precedents even during revolutionary political shifts.