Main Provisions of the Indian Act of 1935 and Its Achievements

5/11/2015 MainProvisionsoftheIndianActof1935andItsAchievements

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MainProvisionsoftheIndianActof1935andItsAchievementsby:S.Priyadarshini|category:Articles

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AftertheconclusionoftheThirdRoundTableConferenceinLondonawhitepaperwasissuedinMarch1933givingdetailsofthebasisoftheworkingofthenewconstitutionofIndia.AmongtheprincipalsourcesfromwhichtheActdrewitsmaterialsweretheSimonCommissionReport,thereportoftheAllPartiesConference(theNehruReport),thethemeofthediscussionsofthreeRoundTableConferences,theWhitePapers,theJointSelectCommitteeReportandtheLothianReport.

ThislengthyActofIndiawaspilotedintheHouseofCommonsbytheSecretaryofStateforIndia,SirSamuelHoareinFebruary1935.ItbecametheGovernmentofIndiaActin2ndAugust,1935.ThisActestablishedaFederationofIndiamadeupofBritishIndianProvinces(GovernorsProvinceandCommissionersProvince)andIndianstateswhichmightaccedetobeunited.InthecaseofstatesaccessiontotheFederationwasvoluntaryandtheFederationcouldnotbeestablisheduntil:

(a)Anumberofstates,therulerswhereoffwereentitledtochoosenotlessthanhalfofthe104seatsoftheCouncilofstate,and



(b)TheaggregatepopulationwhereofamountedtoatleastonehalfofthetotalpopulationofalltheIndianStateshadaccededtotheFederation.ThetermsonwhichastatejoinedtheFederationweretobelaiddownintheInstrumentofAccession.

Contents[hide]

TheFederalExecutive:TheFederalLegislature:ProvincialAutonomy:ProvincialLegislature:CongressMinistries:

TheFederalExecutive:

Dyarchy,rejectedbytheSimonCommission,wasprovidedforintheFederalExecutive.Defence,ExternalAffairs,EcclesiasticalAffairsandtheadministrationoftheTribalAreaswerereservedinthehandsoftheGovernorGeneraltobeadministeredbyhimwiththeassistanceofmaximumofthreeCouncilorstobeappointedbyhim.

TheotherFederalsubjectswouldbeadministeredbytheGovernorGeneralwiththeassistanceandadviceofaCouncilofMinisters(notmorethanten)tobeappointedbyhimandtoholdofficeduringhis(GovernorGeneral)pleasureandtoberesponsibletotheFederalLegislature.

TheGovernorGeneralhadspecialresponsibilitiesregardingcertainspecifiedsubjects(thepreventionofanygravemenacetothepeaceandtranquilityofIndiaoranypartthereofinrespectofthesesubjectshehadfullfreedomtoacceptorrejecttheadviceoftheMinisters.ThepositionoftheCouncilofMinisterswasonlyornamentalratherthanuseful.

TheFederalLegislature:

TheFederalLegislaturewasconstitutedoftwoHouses,



theCouncilofStateandtheFederalAssembly.TheCouncilofstatewastobeapermanentbodywithonethirdofitsmembershipbeingvacatedandrenewedtriennially.Itwastoconsistof156electedmembersofBritishIndiaandnotmorethan104fromtheIndianstates(tobenominatedbytherulersconcerned).

TheFederalAssemblywhosedurationwasfixedforfiveyearswastoconsistof250representativesofBritishIndiaandnotmorethan125membersfromtheIndianstates.ThememberstotheFederalAssemblyweretobeelectedindirectlybythemembersoftheProvincialLegislativeAssembliesonthesystemofproportionalrepresentationwiththesingletransferablevote.Themembersfromthestatesweretobenominatedbytherulers.

ResiduarylegislativepowerswerevestedintheGovernorGeneralinthematteroftheenlistmentofsubjectseitherintheFederalLegislativelistortheProvincialLegislativelistortheconcurrentLegislativelist.Thepowersofthelegislaturewerecribbed,cabinedandconfined.TheFederalLegislaturewasnotallowedtodealwiththelawsaffectingtheBritishSovereign,ortheroyalfamily,ormattersconcerningtheArmyAct,theAirForceActorlawsfortheamendmenttothe1935Act.DiscriminatorylegislationagainstBritishcommercialorotherinterestswasbanned.

BesidesthereweremanysubjectsofimportanceonwhichlegislationcouldnotbeinitiatedwithouttheprevioussanctionoftheGovernorGeneral.Anyrejecteditemsofthebudgetcouldbeplaced,bythedirectionoftheGovernorGeneralbeforetheCouncilofState.

IncaseofdifferencebetweentwohousestheGovernorGeneralcouldsummonajointsittingandevenifaBillwaspassedbyboththehouseshecouldvetotheBillandreturnitbackforreconsiderationorreserveitforhismajestysconsideration.



ThemainfeatureoftheActof1935wastheprovisionoftheresponsibleGovernmentwithsafeguards.TheActmadetheGovernorGeneralthepivotoftheentireconstitution.TheGovernorGeneralhadthejurisdictiontogivetheunityandtodirecttodifferentconflictingelements.

TheGovernorGeneralactedinthreedifferentwaysorcapacities.Normallyhewastoactontheadviceofhisministers.Hehadtherighttoactonhisindividualjudgment.HisspecialresponsibilitywastosafeguardthefinancialstabilityandcreditofIndia,Themaintenanceoflawandorder,theprotectionoftheminorities,andthepublicservantsweresomeotherdutiesoftheGovernorGeneral.AFederalCourtwasestablishedanditwasgivenexclusiveoriginaljurisdictionindisputesbetweentheFederationtheProvincesandthestatesjoiningtheFederation.

TheStatesaccessiontotheFederationwasvoluntary.ThetermsonwhichastatejoinedtheFederationofIndiaweretobelaiddowninaninstrumentofaccession,therightsandobligationsoftheBritishcrowninrespectoftheIndianstatesweretoremainunaffected.TherightsandobligationswereleftinchargeoftheCrownRepresentative.ItwaspermissibletocombinetheofficeofGovernorGeneralandCrownRepresentativeinthesameperson.

InbothHousesoftheFederalLegislaturethestatesweregiventheirquotaofrepresentation.Butthemembersfromthestatewerenottobeelected.InspiteofsuchwiderangeofprovisionsthePrincesoftheNativeStateshoweverrefusetojointheFederation.Theywerealarmedbythechangingsituationinthecountrycausedbytherapidspreadofthenationalmovement.

TheyapprehendedthatachievementofdemocraticfreedombythepeopleofBritishIndiawouldunderminetheautocraticruleintheirownstate.They



alsofearedthataccessiontotheFederationwouldbringthemundertheauthorityoftheFederalGovernmentofIndiainsomeessentialmatters.

ProvincialAutonomy:

AsinthecaseoftheFederationtheExecutiveauthorityofaprovincewasvestedinaGovernorappointedtorepresentthecrownintheprovince.HispositionwaslargelymodeledonthatoftheGovernorGeneral.TheadministrationoftheProvincialaffairswastobeordinarilycarriedonbyacouncilofministersappointedbytheGovernorfromamongtheelectedmembersoftheProvincialLegislatureandresponsibletothemonly.TheministersheldofficesolongastheyenjoyedthepleasureoftheGovernor.

TheGovernordidnotonlyactastheconstitutionalheadoftheprovincemerelyactingontheadviceoftheCouncilofMinisters,hehadsomespecialresponsibilitiesregardingthemaintenanceofpeaceortranquilityoftheprovinceoranypartthereof.Inthedischargeofhisspecialresponsibilitieshewasauthorizedtoactinseveralmattersinhisdiscretionwithoutconsultinghisministersandtogivehisindividualjudgment.

InthatcasehewastoonlyconsidertheadviceoftheCouncilofMinister.TheGovernorhadenormouspowerswhichincludedmanylegislativepowersaswellasovernonvotableitemscomprisingabout40%ofthebudget.Hecouldbyaproclamationtaketheentireorpartialgovernmentoftheprovinceintohisownhand.

ProvincialLegislature:

TheconstitutionoftheProvincialLegislaturevariedfromprovincetoprovince.InallProvincialAssembliesallmembersweredirectlyelectedbythepeople.InprovinceslikeMadras,Bombay,Bengal,U.P.,BiharandAssamtherewasbicameralLegislatureconsistingofaLegislativeCouncilandaLegislativeAssemblyandin



eachoftheseLegislativeCouncilstheGovernorhadthepowertonominatesomemembers.

Therewere50seatsinNorthWestFrontierProvince,60eachinOrissaandSindh,108inAssam,112inCentralProvinces,152inBihar,175eachinthePunjabandBombay,215inMadras,228intheUnitedProvincesand250inBengal.

TheseparatistsystemofrepresentationbyreligiouscommunitiesandothergroupswasaprominentfeatureoftheActof1935.TheelectoralprocedurewasgovernedbytheCommunalawardoftheBritishGovernmentasmodifiedbythePoonaPactinrespectofScheduledCastes.

UnderthisseatsintheLegislaturesweredividedamongvariouscommunitiesandgroupsbesidestherewereseparateconstituenciesforGeneralMuslims,Europeans.AngloIndians,Sikhs,IndianChristiansetc.SomeofthegeneralseatswerereservedforScheduledCastes.ThismethodofCommunalawardoftheBritishGovernmentaccentuatedtheCommunaldisharmonyinthecountrywhichpavedthewayfortheeventualpartitionofIndia.

TheActof1935createdgeneraldisappointmentofallpoliticalparties.Withinnumerablechecksrestrictions,reservationsandsafeguardsthenewActwasstillfarawayfromevenareasonablemeasureofselfGovernment.ThestatusofIndiathatofdependencygraduallygravitatingtowardsthatofdominion.

TheCongressPresidentDr.RajendraPrasadcriticizedtheabsenceofanyprovisionforautomaticgrowthofdevelopmentofselfGovernment.HefurthersaidthatitwillbeakindoffederationinwhichunabashedautocracywillseatentrenchedinonethirdofIndiaandpeepineverynowandthentostranglepopularwillintheremainingtwothirds.TheMuslimLeagueledbyJinnahalsorejectedtheFederalSchemedescribingitas



adevicetowithholdresponsibilityattheCentre.TheActwasintroducedasapoliticalsolutionoftheproblemsinordertosafeguardtheBritishfinancialinterestsinIndia.

TheBritishGovernmentmiserablyfailedtoovercometheoppositionoftheIndianNationalCongress,theMuslimLeagueandthePrincesagainsttheFederalScheme.SotheFederalSchemewaswithheldexcepttheestablishmentoftheFederalCourtandtheProvincialsschemewasintroducedon1stApril,1937causingadrasticchangeinthepatternofprovincialpolitics.MadanMohanMalaviyasaidthatthestatuehassomewhatademocraticappearanceoutwardlybutitisabsolutelyhollowfrominside.

Butwhateveritslimitation,theActof1935markedadecisiveturningpointinIndiasconstitutionalhistory.Parliamentaryinstitutions,evenifinaweakenedform,weretheframeworkofthenewGovernmentalsetup.TheoperativepartofthisActhoweverremainedinforcetill15thAugust,1947whenitwasamendedbyIndependenceofIndiaat1947.

CongressMinistries:

WiththeendoftheCivilDisobedienceMovementmanyCongressmenbegantoconsiderthepracticabilityofworkingalongthelinesofthenowdefunctSwarajparty.FinallytheCongressdecidedtocontestthecomingelectionstobeheldunderthenewAct.PanditJawaharlalNehruwasinfavourofcontestingtheelectionsbutnotoftakingpartinanyprovincialGovernment.AParliamentaryBoardwassetupbytheCongresstodealwiththemattersconcerningtheelections.

NehruhowevermadeitclearthathewasnotkeenonCongressformingministriesbuttocarrythemessageoftheCongresstotheMillionsofvotersandtothescoresofmillionsofthedisfranchised,toacquaintthemwith



ourfutureprogrammeandpolicy.Butintheelectionheldin1937theCongresssweptthepollssofarasgeneralorpredominantlyHinduseatswereconcerned.Congressministrieswereformedinsevenoutof11provinces.On18thMarch,1937theAllIndiaCongressCommitteeadoptedaresolutionanddirectedtheCongressMinistersofdifferentprovinces.

ThedeclaredCongresspolicywastocombatthenewActandendit.NehrureiteratedthatintheeventofanydemandofthepeoplebeingturneddownbytheBritishGovernment,theCongressmembersofthelegislaturesshouldworkinsideandoutsidethelegislaturesforputtinganendtothenewconstitution.

ThiswouldinevitablyleadtoadeadlockswiththeBritishGovernmentandbringoutstillfurthertheinherentantagonismbetweenBritishimperialismandIndiannationalismandexposetheautocraticandundemocraticnatureofthenewconstitution.

TheMuslimLeaguehadobtainedalargenumberofseatsreservedforMuslims.TheLeaguesoffertoformcoalitionministriesintheprovinceswasturneddownbytheCongresswhichresultedinmakingthegapwiderbetweenthetwopoliticalparties.FollowingthisJinnahpubliclyproclaimedthattheCongresshaddonenothingfortheMuslimsinIndia.

AddressingtheLucknowSessionoftheMuslimLeagueinOctober,1937JinnahsaidThepresentleadershipoftheCongressespeciallyduringthelasttenyearshasbeenresponsibleforalienatingtheMusalmansofIndiamoreandmorebypursuingapolicywhichisexclusivelyHinduandsincetheyhaveformedtheGovernmentsinsixprovinceswheretheyareinamajority.

Theyhavebytheirwords,deedsandprogrammeshownmoreandmorethattheMusalmans,cannotexpectanyjusticeorfairplayattheirhands.Fromtheclasses



JinnahwenttotheMasseswiththecryofIslamindanger.HeaccusedtheCongressofkillingeveryhopeofHinduMuslimsettlementintherightroyalfashionofFascismandblamedGandhijifordestroyingtheidealwithwhichtheCongresswasstarted.JinnahsaidHe(Gandhi)istheonemanresponsibleforturningtheCongressintoaninstrumentfortherevivalofHinduism.HisideaistoreviveHindureligionandestablishHinduRajintheCountry.ThesetypeofstatementofJinnahforcedtheIndianpoliticstobebipolarized.

InspiteofthehostileattitudeoftheBritishGovernorsoftheProvinces,thebureaucracyandtheMuslimLeague,theCongressMinistriesineightprovincesoutofeleventookupradicalmeasuresforthewelfareofthepeople.Greaterattentionwaspaidtovillages,toagriculture,tocollegeeducationandindustries.Reformofeducationalsystem,introductionofbasiceducation,ofjailsandenforcementofprohibitionweretakenup.

Abolitionofsalttaxandofrepressivelawscameunderactiveconsideration.Nodistinctionwasmadebetweencommunityandcommunity,highcasteandlowcasteintheCongressadministration.ForthisventureoftheMinistersGandhijiencouragedtosaythatavastopportunityisatthedisposaloftheministersintermsoftheCongressobjectivesofCompleteIndependence,ifonlytheyarehonest,selfless,industrious,vigilant,andsolicitousforthetruewelfareofthestarvingmillions.ButtheCongressMinistersweredestinedtobeshortlivedandtheirworkswerealsocriticizedbytheBritishGovernorsandtheMuslimLeague.IntheseconditiontherecameagreatshockbythedeclarationoftheSecondWorldWar.ItalteredthesituationinandramaticmannerandforcedtheCongresstoarevolutionarypath.

DuringtheperiodofwarGandhijiandJawaharlalNehruwereinfavourofsupportingtheBritish



GovernmentfortheonlyreasonthatitwasastrugglebetweenFascismandDemocracy.ButtheCongresspolicywasthatnocooperationwaspossibleunlesstheCongressdemandedthatIndiamustbedeclaredanIndependentnationandpresentapplicationmustbegiventothisstatustothelargepossibleextent.ThisideaofoppositiontotheBritishGovernmentwasprojectedbySubhashChandraBose.

HebelievedthatonlyafterthedefeatandbreakingupoftheBritishEmpirecouldIndiahopetobefree.Duetothevitalissuesinvolved,theCongressappointedaWarSubCommitteewithJawaharlalNehruastheheadtogivealeadtotheCongressinthisregard.

InOctober,1939theCongressrefusingtobehoodwinkeddemandedthatIndiamustbedeclaredanindependentnationandpresentapplicationmustbegiventothisstatustothelargestpossibleextent.TothisdemandstheViceroyLinhithgowrepliedonOctober17,1939inalengthystatementtheessenceofwhichwasthattheentireconstitutionalschemewouldbereopenedandreexaminedafterthewarandduringthecontinuanceofthehostilitiesaconsultativegrouponwhichallthediverseinterestsandcommunitiesofIndiawouldberepresented,wouldbeconstitutedtoaidtheViceroyintheConductoftheWar.

TheCongressimmediatelydeclaredthestatementasevasiveandunsatisfactory.GandhijideclaredTheCongresshadaskedforbreadandithadgotstone,theCongresswillhavetogotowilderness.On22ndOctober,1939theCongressWorkingCommitteeafterdeclaringtheViceroysstatementunsatisfactorydeclaredthatinthecircumstancestheCommitteecannotpossiblygiveanysupporttoGreatBritainforitwouldamounttoanendorsementoftheimperialistpolicywhichtheCongresshasalwayssoughttoend.

TheresolutionfurtheraskedtheCongressministriestoresignwhichtheydidforthwith.TheGovernors



immediatelyproclaimedemergencyinwhichtheconstitutioncouldnotworkandassumedallthepowersofadministrationintheirrespectiveprovinces.HoweverthenonCongressMinistriescontinued.

ThebureaucracywashappytoseetheCongressoutofpowerandMuhammadAliJinnahaskedtheMuslimLeaguetocelebrateaDayofDeliveranceandthanksgivingatthefalloftheCongressGovernment.CommunalismwasencouragedtothemaximumextentevenbytheGovernment.

TheresignationofCongressMinistriesimpairedtheWareffortoftheGovernmentofIndiaandinreturntheGovernmentdemonstratedtotheWorldthattheCongress,thelargestrepresentativepoliticalorganisationofIndiawasnotcooperatingtheBritishGovernmentintheprosecutionoftheWar.TobelittlethecharacterandobjectivesoftheCongressandtoencouragetheMuslimLeagueLinlithgrowtriedhisbest.

ThisnaturallydrovehimtopampertheLeagueleaderJinnahandotherpoliticalpersonalitiesoftheIndiansubcontinent.ThisdirectlypromptedtheMuslimLeaguetopitchthedemandhighwiththeassurancethattheywillbeconsidered.

TheCongresstiredoftheverbosityoftheViceroyputforwarditsdemandforaConstituentAssemblyastheonlysolutionofIndiasproblembothConstitutionalandCommunal.JinnahimmediatelyfeltfoulofthesuggestionandassuredofthebackingoftheGovernmentbeganaseriesofattacksdescribingitaschimerical.

InaletterJinnahsaidtotheViceroyon23rdFebruary,1940thattheGovernmentshouldnotmakeanycommitmentwithregardtothefutureconstitutionofIndiaoranyinterimsettlementwithanyotherpartywithouttheapprovaloftheLeague.



TheViceroysrelationwiththeLeagueannoyedtheCongressasanindexoftheoldpolicyofDivideandRule.TheViceroypromisedtodeterminethefutureconstitutionofIndiaonthelinesmostsatisfactorytoallpartiesconcerned.

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