General Knowledge of Modern India - Indian Council Act of 1909 AD (Morley-Minto Reforms):
The Government of India Act of 1909 AD, also called the Morley-Minto Reforms, named after the Secretary and Viceroy of India. It was created to satisfy the liberals. The number of members of the Central and Provincial Legislative Councils was increased by this act, but the number of elected members in these councils was still less than half of the total number of members i.e. still the majority of the nominated members remained. Along with this, the elected members were also not elected by the people but by the landlords, businessmen, industrialists, universities and local bodies. The British also started communal electorates whose purpose was to create differences between Hindus and Muslims and end their unity. Under this system, some seats of the council were reserved for the Muslims, who were also to be elected by the Muslim voters.
Through this arrangement, the British wanted to separate the Muslims from the nationalist movement. He seduced the Muslims that their interests were different from those of other Indians. To weaken the nationalist movement of India, the British continued to follow policies that promoted communalism. The spread of communalism seriously affected the movement for Indian unity and independence. The Indian National Congress, in its session of 1909 AD, welcomed other reforms of this act but opposed the provision of establishing separate electorates on the basis of religion.
The Morley-Minto reforms did not make any significant changes in the powers of the councils. These reforms did not lead to the establishment of representative government, let alone Swaraj. In fact the Secretary of India himself said that he had absolutely no intention of establishing a parliamentary government in India. The autocratic government that was established after the revolt of 1857 did not change even after the Morley-Minto reforms.
Satyendra Prasad Sinha, who later became Lord Sinha, was the first Indian to be appointed a member of the Governor-General's Executive Council. Later he was made the governor of a province. He was the only Indian to reach such a high position during the entire British rule in India. He was also present in the royal court held in Delhi in 1911, in which British Emperor George V and his Queen were present. The Bhartiya princes also joined the Darwar, who expressed their allegiance to the British Emperor. Two important announcements were made in this court, the partition of Bengal was canceled effective from -1905 AD, second - the capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.
Features of the Act
- This act expanded the number of members of the Legislative Councils and introduced direct election.
- An Indian was appointed a member of the Executive Council of the Governor General.
- The number of elected members of the Central Legislative Council was 27 (which consisted of 2 special electorates, 13 general electorates and 12 class electorates ie 6 elected by landlords and 6 elected members from Muslim areas)
- Satyendra Prasad Sinha was the first Indian to be appointed as a member of the Executive Council of the Governor General.
- The principle of 'Separate Electoral College' was introduced. Lord Minto was called the 'Father of Communal Electoral College'.
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Modern India