Acts and Reforms under British Rule

Introduction

While the previous chapter listed all constitutional Acts chronologically, this chapter focuses on the three most significant 20th-century reform Acts — examining their exact provisions and how Indian political opinion reacted to each, a distinction UPSC often tests directly.

Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act, 1909)

• Named after Secretary of State John Morley and Viceroy Lord Minto.
• Increased the size of legislative councils at the Centre and in provinces; allowed limited discussion of the budget and the right to ask questions.
• Introduced separate electorates for Muslims — Muslims could vote only for Muslim candidates in reserved constituencies, a step widely criticised by nationalists as sowing the seeds of communal division.
• Lord Minto earned the title "Father of Communal Electorates" for this reform.

Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act, 1919)

• Named after Secretary of State Edwin Montagu and Viceroy Lord Chelmsford; followed Montagu's August 1917 Declaration promising "responsible government."
• Introduced Dyarchy at the provincial level — subjects split into:

• Extended separate electorates to Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, and Europeans.
• Created a bicameral legislature at the Centre (Council of State and Legislative Assembly) for the first time.
• Widely criticised by the INC (Congress passed a resolution calling it "disappointing and unsatisfactory") for offering only limited, unstable power-sharing.

Government of India Act, 1935

• Longest Act of British Parliament at that time; based partly on the recommendations of the Simon Commission (1927) and the three Round Table Conferences (1930-32).
• Proposed an All-India Federation of British provinces and princely states (never came into force as an insufficient number of princely states acceded).
• Abolished Dyarchy at the provincial level, introducing full provincial autonomy with ministers responsible to provincial legislatures.
• Introduced Dyarchy instead at the (never-implemented) federal/central level.
• Established a Federal Court (1937) — precursor to the Supreme Court of India.
• Extended separate electorates further and introduced the concept of provincial elections (1937), in which the INC formed ministries in several provinces.