name : amber memon

class :bba 1b

reg no: 1211217

teacher name: G. shabir jiskani

subject : Pakistan studies

assignment no: 02

assignment topic name : minto morley reforms

Question : discuss that how minto Morley reforms (1909) were a “tool of change”. Highlight the significance of “separate electorates” in the history of separation of India ?

Tool of change:

the Liberal Party came to power in Britain in 1906, and that changed the political atmosphere. The Liberal Party did not want to pursue the autocratic policies of the Conservative Party. Such political changes in Britain and as well as in India, which altered the public opinion in both countries. Following are the salient features of Minto-Morley Reforms.

The following were the main features of the Act of 1909:

The number of the members of the Legislative Council at the Center was increased from 16 to 60.

The number of the members of the Provincial Legislatives was also increased. It was fixed as 50 in the provinces of Bengal, Madras and Bombay, and for the rest of the provinces it was 30.

The member of the Legislative Councils, both at the Center and in the provinces, were to be of four categories i.e. ex-officio members (Governor General and the members of their Executive Councils), nominated official members (those nominated by the Governor General and were government officials), nominated non-official members (nominated by the Governor General but were not government officials) and elected members (elected by different categories of Indian people).

Right of separate electorate was given to the Muslims. At the Center, official members were to form the majority but in provinces non-official

members would be in majority. The members of the Legislative Councils were permitted to discuss the budgets, suggest

the amendments and even to vote on them; excluding those items that were included as non-vote items. They were also entitled to ask supplementary questions during the legislative proceedings.

The Secretary of State for India was empowered to increase the number of the Executive Councils of Madras and Bombay from two to four.

Two Indians were nominated to the Council of the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs. The Governor General was empowered to nominate one Indian member to his Executive

Council.

Brought a constitutional package for electoral reforms:

Separate Electorates are that type of elections in which minorities select their own representatives separately, as opposed to Joint Electorates where people are selected collectively. When minorities fear that they would not get representation in state affairs and government then they demand separate electorates. Same was the case with the Indian Muslims. They were very large in number, but in case of combined elections they would not get due representation. When the British implemented the system of democracy in India in order to strength their rule, and to involve local people in government, the Muslims demanded separate electorates .These were not imposed by British, however were granted on the request of the Muslims.

When direct elections were introduced to increase the participation of Indians in government affairs, a deputation of Indian Muslims led by Sir Aga Khan presented an address to Viceroy and Governor General Lord Minto at Simla on 1st October 1906. They asked for separate representation at all levels of government, district boards, legislative councils, and municipalities. They mentioned that they were almost one-fifth and in some areas one-fourth of the whole population. So they must be given recognition as an important factor of the state machinery. The positions given to the Muslims should not only depend on their numerical strength, but also on their political importance and contributions as they had ruled over India for a long time. Under the Act of 1892 in United Province, where Muslims were fourteen percent of population, they had not secured a single seat by joint franchise. And if by chance they would get any seats they would have to agree with Hindus, and thus had to go against their own interests. So, Muslims should be given separate representation for both local bodies and legislative councils, through separate electorates. Viceroy listened to them and promised them that their demands would put forward to British Government. With this positive response Muslims established their own political party named as All India Muslim League in December, 1906.

Separate electorates were discussed and implemented:

In 1909 the Morley-Minto Reforms granted separate electorates to Muslims. In these the numerical strength of legislature councils was increased. 27 out of total 60 members were to be elected and 5 seats were reserved for the Muslims. In provincial government, Muslims were to be represented by separate electorates. It gave constitutional recognition to Muslims. They would have not only elect their own representatives, but also had right to vote in general constituencies. Muslims were given fewer share than their numerical strength, but this was a land mark in the political history of Indian Muslims.

Quaid-E- Azam brought two parties on one single platform in lucknow (1916):

The Muslim League and the Congress held their meetings at Lucknow in the end of December 1916. They accepted unanimously agreed reforms scheme presented by their respective committees. The Congress-League scheme popularly known as the Lucknow Pact pointed out the steps that needed to be taken to gain self government for India. Jinnah supported the coming together of the two parties to coerce the government to grant India self-rule.

The lucknow pact was agreed but the luck was otherwise:

In 1916 Lucknow Pact was passed with the collaboration of Congress and Muslim League. Congress conceded to the legitimate rights of Muslims. In this pact the right of separate electorates for Muslims was recognized. It was declared that Muslims would be given one third central legislature seats. And in provinces minorities were to have more seats than their numerical strength, this was known as the Weight age System. According to this system Muslims got more representation than their population in minority provinces whereas, in Bengal and Punjab their representation was reduced to 50% and 40% from 56% and 55% respectively. In 1919 the Montague Chelmsford Reforms were introduced. The demands of Lucknow Pact were accepted. In centre Muslims were given one third seats. These all rights were denied, and Congress deviated from their own prospective in Nehru Report in 1928.

Since the Delhi Darbar 1911 to the Simon commission 1927 the relation between two communities of India, Hindus and Muslims:

The partition left a significant impact on the people of Bengal as well as the political scene of the Indian Subcontinent. After the annulment of the partition, the people of East Bengal were immersed into disappointment and anger. This event also created a sense of political awareness among the Muslims of East Bengal. To mollify the people of East Bengal, Lord Curzon declared that a university as a center of excellence would be established in Dacca (which would later be named as University of Dhaka and formed a committee in this regard consisting Khwaja Salimullah, A. K. Fazlul Huq and others. The decision was severely criticized by some Hindu leaders in West Bengal. The most significant impact of this event was the inception of communal dissonance between the Hindus and Muslims of Bengal.

Round table conferences were held but the tables were turned:

The Indian political situation seemed deadlocked. The British government refused to contemplate any form of self-government for the people of India. This caused frustration amongst the masses, who often expressed their anger in violent clashes.

The Labor Government returned to power in Britain in 1931, and a glimmer of hope ran through Indian hearts. Labor leaders had always been sympathetic to the Indian cause. The government decided to hold a Round Table Conference in London to consider new constitutional reforms. All Indian politicians; Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians were summoned to London for the conference.

Gandhi immediately insisted at the conference that he alone spoke for all Indians, and that the Congress was the party of the people of India.

Ultimately, the government of India Act-1935 was introduced and implemented and general elections were conducted in India in 1937 on the basis of separate electorates:

In this journey of almost 40 years, many demands were presented, many pacts were introduced, and many resolutions were passed. All had their own importance but the right of separate electorates was a land mark for the Muslims. They all revolved around this demand of separate electorates. Acceptance of this demand was a sign of recognizing them as a separate nation. They were treated as a minority before it. Now they had share in government at Central and provincial levels both. Beyond that these Separate Electorates led them towards separate homeland named as Pakistan.

Congress won the elections and started their atrocities against the Muslims on the reaction of congress attitude, the ministries were dissolved in 1939:

The Government of India Act, 1935 was formulated after long deliberations but was not fully promulgated but the only provincial part was introduced in the country, the central part was not introduced. The British government planned on it and then the British parliament passed this law and then the king signed this law and this became the government of India Act of 1935, under which these elections were held. The Muslim League criticized this law for a number of reasons and the same was the case with the Congress party but agreed to contest provincial elections to make advantage of the opportunities being provided under the government of India Act.

When congress won the elections they started violence against Muslims and when ministries reacted on this issue the ministries were dissolved.