Fourth Phase (1909-1935):
1909council of India Act:
· The
law is referred to as the 'Minto-Marley' version.
v Note: 'Minto- British Viceroy
'Marley' - Minister of Home Affairs
·
For
the first time in India, Muslims were given special constituencies in the
Legislative Assembly under this Act.
·
'Minto'
is described as the father of the religoous constituency.
·
Note:
This Act was the basis for the separation of India into two independent unions
under the 1947 Indian Independence Act.
·
This
law was the first in India to introduce a 'direct election' system.
·
The
law increased the number of members of the Governor-General's Legislature from
16 to 60.
·
This
Act was the first time that the Governor-General had given an opportunity to
Indians in the Executive Council.
v Note: Satyendra Prasad Sinha was the
first Indian to join the Governor General.
· Under this law the central legislative branches were called the Imperial Legislature.
1919 Government of India Act:
·
This
Act is referred to as the “Mountage Chamsford Reforms”.
·
'Montague'
- Minister of Indian Affairs
·
'Chelmsford'
- British Viceroy & British Governor General
·
This
law came into force in 1921.
·
This
law was the first in India to introduce a dual government policy.
·
This
dual government policy was first introduced in the states.
·
A
bicameral system was first introduced at the Center following this Act.
v Note: The bicameral system divides the
Central and Legislative Departments into two Houses
1)
Upper House (Council of States)
2) Lower House (Legislative
Assembly)
·
‘Sir
Frederick White’ was appointed the first Chairman of the Council of States.
·
The
first Chairman elected to the Legislative Assembly - V. J. Patel
·
The
Act introduced a bicameral system in India.
·
The
Act established for the first time the post of 'High Commission of India' to
manage Indian diplomatic affairs.
·
According
to the law, Anglo Indians, Indian Christians and Sikhs were allotted special
constituencies in the legislatures.
·
The law separates the state budget from the
central budget.
·
The
power to design and approve the state budget is vested in the state government.
·
A
Public Service Commission has been set up to look into the recruitment of
government employees in the country under this Act.
v Note: When the first Public Service
Commission was formed in 1926, a responsible government was introduced as its
first chairman.
The Indians are responsible for
this
The government is said to be a partially
responsible government.
Simon Commission 1927):
·
The
British government in 1927 appointed a six-member commission, chaired by Sir
John Simon, to review the 1919 Government Act.
·
The
Commission visited India in 1928.
·
Political
parties in India boycotted the Simon Commission because Indians were not
members of the Commission.
·
The
Simon Commission later submitted its report to the British Government in 1930.
·
Main
Recommendation: Dissolved the dual government in the states and introduced a
responsible government.
·
This
was reviewed at the following 3 round table meetings held by the Simon
Commission in London.
1) First Round Table Meeting -
1930
2) Second Round Table Meeting -
1931
3) Third Round Table Conference -
1932
·
The
Indian who participated in the above three meetings - Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
·
Women
Representative in the above three round table meetings – Sarojini Naidu.
·
INC
Representative to the Second Round Table Conference - Mahatma Gandhi.
·
The
'Government of India Act 1935' was framed as a result of round table
discussions.