Independent assortment refers to the random assortment of genes located on different chromosomes during meiosis. Genes located on non-homologous chromosomes (chromosomes that do not have corresponding pairs) can assort independently because their segregation and assortment are not influenced by the behavior of genes on other chromosomes. Genes on the same chromosome (Option B) may be linked and do not assort independently, while genes on homologous chromosomes (Option D) may undergo some level of independent assortment but can also be influenced by genetic recombination.