25. WAVELL PLAN AND SHIMLA CONFERENCE, 1945

25. WAVELL PLAN AND SHIMLA CONFERENCE, 1945

• Lord Wavell (Viceroy, 1943–47) proposed the Wavell Plan (June 1945) after the war ended in Europe.
• Proposed reconstitution of the Viceroy's Executive Council with Indian members (except Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief), with equal representation of Caste Hindus and Muslims.
• A conference held at Shimla (Shimla Conference, June–July 1945) to discuss the plan, attended by Congress and Muslim League leaders.
• Failed — collapsed primarily because Muhammad Ali Jinnah/Muslim League insisted that all Muslim members of the Executive Council be nominated only by the Muslim League (sole spokesman claim for Muslims), which Congress (which had its own Muslim members, e.g., Congress president Maulana Azad) refused to accept.

Key Facts

• Year: 1945; Viceroy: Lord Wavell; Conference at: Shimla
• Failed over: Muslim League's demand to be sole representative of Muslims