Constitutional Developments in India

1. Second BA History
Subject: History
Title of the Paper: History of India(From 1859 AD to 1950 AD)
Fourth Semester
Fifth Unit- Constitutional Developments in India(From 1859 AD
to 1950 AD)
Dr.T.Kaliappan
Associate Professor of History
Vivekanada College
Tiruvedakam West, 625234

2. THE MONTAGUE CHELMSFORD REFORMS
(OR)
THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT OF 1919

3. Causes for the passing the Government. of
India Act of 1919
 The defects of the Act of 1909.
 National Movement during the First World War.
 Home Rule movement.
 Jallian Wala Bagh Massacre.
 Khilafat movement.
 Rowlat Act and its impact.
 The memorandum published in 1916 too requested
reforms in near future.

4. Main provisions of the Act of 1919
 The powers of the Secretary of State for India was reduced.
 The office of the High Commissioner for India was created.
 There will be eight members in the Viceroy’s Executive Council and
among them there should be Indians.
 The Viceroy had complete control over the finance of India.
 Only with his consent Money bill were introduced.
 He was empowered to suspend any bill.
 He was to protect and look after the welfare of the Indians.
 He enjoyed emergency powers.
 He appointed the Chairman of the Legislatures.
 He framed rules for the smooth and successful functioning of
Indian administration.
 He controlled the foreign affairs.

5. Central Legislature
 A bicameral Legislature was set up at the centre i.e the
Council of States and the Legislative Assembly.
 The Council of State had 60 members including 33
elected and the rest nominated.
 The Legislative Assembly had 145 members out of
which, 103 were elected the rest nominated.

6. Legislative Assembly – 145 members
41nominated 104 Elected
26 officials 52 General
15 non-officials 30 Muslims
9 Europeans
7 Landlords
4 Representative of India Community
2 Sikhs

7.  The Act provided for the establishment of a Public Service
Commission in India for the first time.
 The Communal representation was extended and Sikhs,
Europeans and Anglo-Indians were included.
 The Franchise (Right to voting) was granted to the limited
number of only those who paid a certain minimum “Tax” to
the Government (Those people who had property, taxable
income and paid land revenue of Rs.3000 were entitled to
vote.

8. The Act introduced Diarchy in the province
 Diarchy means dual set of governments, one is
accountable, the other is not accountable. The subjects
of the provincial Government were divided in to two
groups. One group was reserved, and the other group
was transferred.
 The Reserved subject were controlled by the British
Governors of the province, the transferred subjects
were given to the Indian Ministers of the Province.

9.  The Reserved Subjects: The reserved subjects were placed
under the control of the governors a) Law and Order (b)
The administration of Justice, Police, Land Revenue,
irrigation and canals, famine relief, controlling press,
newspaper and books, borrowings, forests, prisons,
settlement of labour dispute etc., come under reserved
subjects.
 Transferred Subjects included: Agriculture and Fisheries,
Cooperative Societies, Education, Excise, Local self
Government, Hospitals, public health, industries etc.,
 Working of Dyarchy: The system of Diarchy worked in the
provinces for about 16 years i.e from 1921 to 2937.
However it did not work satisfactorily.

10. Following were the major causes for the
failure of Diarchy
 Unscientific division of subjects
 Lack of cooperation between Executive Councilors and
Ministers
 Weak position of the Ministers
 No joint responsibility
 Department of Finance under the Executive Councillers
 Not so cordial relations between the Ministers and the
Senior Government Officers
 Governor’s support to bureaucracy
 Little freedom of vote in the Legislative Assembly

11. Merits of the Act of 1919
 It introduced for the first time, bicameralism and direct
elections in the country.
 For the first time, elections were known to the people and it
created political consciousness among the people
 Some Indian women also had the right to vote for the first
time.
 For the first time, Indians were appointed Ministers as the
leaders of elected majority. This was responsible
Government although to a very limited extent.
 It gave training in the art of government

12. Demerits of the Act of 1919
 The franchise was extremely limited. In 1920, out of total
population of about 25 crore in India, there were 9 lakhs
voters for the Lower House and 17,000 for the Upper House.
 Property qualification to be eligible to vote were pitched very
high.
 Women could neither vote nor stand for election.
 The Constituencies were grouped on communal basis.

13.  The governor could over rule the decision of the
Ministers.
 The Viceroy could over rule his Council
 The Governor General and the Governor – were not
responsible to the Legislature
 Defective system of Dyarchy.