The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 164
148 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN what he could to get a clearer assurance from the Under Secretary of State for India, Lord Listowel, who would be in charge of the Bill in the House of Lords. So when the particular clause came under consideration in the House of Lords, Lord Templewood addressed the question to Lord Listowel whether it would be correct to assume that the meaning of the clause was that the Princes could remain independent, if they chose, or could accede to one dominion or the other at their discretion. I imagine the Labour Government was reluctant to make this too clear, being afraid that the Congress might not like it. Be that as it may, Lord Listowel said nothing in words in reply to the question but merely nodded his head. Lord Templewood, who was an astute parlia- mentarian, and aware that a nod of the head could not go onto the record said, "From the nod of the noble Lord I understand that he agrees with the explanation that I have given. " Thus Lord Listowel's nod was transcribed on the record. Later events showed that whatever the letter or the spirit of the Act, the Minister for State Affairs in India, the late Mr. Vallabbhai Patel, was determined to ride roughshod over the States and the States were to be completely integrated with India. I came back and went straight to Lahore where the Boundary Commission had in the meantime been constituted. I was in England when it was announced that Sir Cyril Radcliffe, now Lord Radcliffe, would be the umpire, both in the case of the Punjab Boundary Commission and the Bengal Boundary Commission. This meant that if the Commission made a unanimous or a majority report the boundary would be as determined by the Commission; but that in case of a tie, the umpire's decision would prevail. In each case there was bound to be a tie because each Commission was composed of two Muslim and two non-Muslim members. In the case of the Punjab Boundary Commission the two Muslim members were Mr. Justice Din Muhammad and Mr. Justice Muhammad Munir; while Mr. Justice Mahr Chand Mahajan and Mr. Justice Teja Singh were the non-Muslim members. All four were High Court judges. Later, Mr. Justice Munir became Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court and still later a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and then Chief Justice of Pakistan. At this date, he is Law Minister in the new Cabinet of Pakistan that has been formed this month.