TOPIC # 10

THE LUCKNOW PACT (1916)

Or THE CONGRESS LEAGUE SCHEME OF REFORMS
1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
I. Waheed-uz-Zaman wrote, The outbreak of the World War in which Turkey was engaged as an
active belligerent against England created serious perplexities for the Indian Muslims. Their
spiritual allegiance to their Khalifa and their loyalties to the King Emperor pulled them in
opposite directions. They, however, remained loyal to England and fought her battle I distant
theatres of war. But the situation on the home front was different. The anti-British feeling which
had been gaining momentum for some time past apace and brought the Muslim League even
closer to the Congress.
II. The first decade of the 20th century witnessed many such events which caused
misunderstandings and bitterness b/w the Muslims and the Hindus. The misunderstandings and
bitterness b/w the two communities however turned into better understanding and cooperation
due to the political events taking place in the midst of second decade of the 20th century. The
annulment of the partition of Bengal, Trablas and Balkan Wars, Kanpoor Mosque incidents were
such events that made the Muslims suspicious and hostile towards the British Government. The
beginning of the First World War also necessitated the better understanding and cooperation b/w
the Hindus and the Muslims to force the British government to introduce further constitutional
reforms in the subcontinent. When internal and external factors and events were paving the way
for the close cooperation b/w the Hindus and the Muslim, an other step taken by the Muslim
League raised the prospects of close ties b/w the Congress and the Muslim League.
III. THE GOAL OF ALL INDIA MUSLIM LEAGUE CHANGED AT ITS LUCKNOW
SESSION HELD IN 1913 from G. Allanas Pakistan Movement: Historic Documents:
Attainment under the aegis of the British Crown of a system of self-government suitable to
India through constitutional means, by bringing about, amongst other things a steady reform of
the existing systems of administration by promoting national unity, by fostering public spirit
among the people of India. And by cooperation with other communities for the said purpose.
IV. The following years witnessed the desire and efforts of both the Congress and the Muslim
League in close their ties for the betterment of the peoples of both nations. For example, in 1913,
the Muslim League passed a resolution expressing its earnest desire of the Muslims to seek close
cooperation with all communities without any prejudices for the attainment of common
objectives. The resolution expressing the belief that the future prosperity of people would be
determined by the relations of the Congress and the Muslim League.
V. In 1913, Mr. Jinnah join Muslim League and tried to unite the Hindus and the Muslims.
VI. In 1914, Quaid advised the Muslims to hold its annual session at the same time with the
Congress in Bombay. Such step was necessary to facilitate the negotiations b/w the two parties.
Thus in December 1915, the sessions of the Muslim League and the Congress were held
simultaneously in Bombay. At this session a resolution moved by Quaid was unanimously passed
asking for the appointment of committee to prepare in consultation with other political

organisations a scheme of reforms.

VII. The Congress reciprocated by appointing a committee to prepare a scheme of reforms in
consultation with the Muslim League. Accordingly, both the committees of Muslim League and
Congress held discussions in April 1916. Ultimately, the two committees succeeded in
formulating agreed proposals for the constitutional reforms at their joint meeting in November
1916 at Calcutta.
VIII. Duke Memorandum: in October 1916, 19 member of Imperial Legislative Council of both
the parties met and jointly prepared and submitted a memorandum to British government for the
political reforms.
IX. Quaids role: Sarojini Naidu gave Quaid the title of Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity.
He was also given the title of Principle Architect.
2. LUCKNOW PACT:
To pay homage and gratitude to Quaid-e-Azam for his yeoman services for the Hindu-Muslim
unity, he was elected as the President of the 8th session of the All India Muslim League, which
was to be held at Lucknow in 1916 along with the session of the India National Congress. Quaid
made a strong plea for unity, Towards the Hindus, our attitude should be of good-will and
brotherly feelings, cooperation in the cause of our motherland should be of our guiding principle.
Indias real progress can only be achieved by a true understanding and harmonious relations
between the two great sister communities.
Major provisions of the scheme:
I. The legislative assembly would be of 4/5 elected and 1/5 nominated members.
II. The members were to be elected directly by the people for the term of five years.
III. The strength of the members in major provinces was to be not less than 125 and 0 to 70 in
small provinces.
IV. The scheme gave the Muslims right to elect their own representatives by the method of
separate electorates in the following proportion:
Punjab 50% Bengal 40%
U.P. 30% Bihar 25%
C.P. 15% Madras 15%
Bombay 33%
V. No bill or any clause therefore nor a resolution introduced by a non-official member affecting
one or other community shall proceed if of the members of that community in the particular
council, imperial or provincial council, oppose the bill or any clause of the resolution.
VI. The provincial councils were rested with full power regarding the internal administration
such as power to raise loans, to impose and alter taxation and to vote for budget.
VII. The provincial govt. was to be headed by the governor, not belonging to Indian Civil
Services or any other permanent service.
VIII. With regard to the Central Legislative Council. The scheme envisaged that it would consist
of 150 members, 4/5 of whom were to be elected on the basis of separate electorate by the
members of the provincial council.

IX. The Muslim were given 1/3 representation of the Indian elected members in the central
legislative council.
X. The government of India was to be headed by the Governor General, half of whose members
were necessarily to be the Indians elected by the members of legislative council.
XI. The government of India or Central government was not entitled to interfere in the internal
affairs of the provinces, except the general supervision over the provincial administration.
XII. In legislative and administrative matters, the government of India was to be independent of
the Secretary of State or India.
3. MERITS OF THE SCHEME:
I. It gave autonomy to the provinces.
II. The Muslims were given the right to elect their own representatives by separate electorate.
III. People were given the right:
IV. India was given status equal to the other dominions.
V. No law can be enforced without the approval or consent of the minorities.
4. DEMERITS OF THE SCHEME:
I. The scheme did not envisage the full representative and effective govt.
II. The Muslim majority was reduced to minority.
III. The net result would have been a stalemate in which real power would have been exercised
by the civil servants.
5. A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SCHEME:
I. It was argued by some Muslims that the interests of the Muslims would be jeopardized by
enforcement of the scheme. They further argued that the Muslim majority was reduced to
minority in Punjab and Bengal.
II. The greatest achievement for the Muslims was the recognition of the principle of separate
electorate by Congress, which in other words was the recognition of separate Muslim identity in
India.

Lucknow pact (1916)

When All India Muslim League came into existence, it was a moderate organization with its
basic aim to establish friendly relations with the Crown. However, due to the decision of the
British Government to annul the partition of Bengal, the Muslim leadership decided to change its
stance. In 1913, a new group of Muslim leaders entered the folds of the Muslim League with the
aim of bridging the gulf between the Muslims and the Hindus. The most prominent amongst
them was Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who was already a member of Indian National Congress. The
Muslim League changed its major objective and decided to join hands with the Congress in order
to put pressure on the British government. Lord Chelmsfords invitation for suggestions from the
Indian politicians for the post World War I reforms further helped in the development of the
situation.
As a result of the hard work of Mr. Jinnah, both the Muslim League and the Congress met for
their annual sessions at Bombay in December 1915. The principal leaders of the two political
parties assembled at one place for the first time in the history of these organizations. The
speeches made from the platform of the two groups were similar in tone and theme. Within a few
months of the Bombay moot, 19 Muslim and Hindu elected members of the Imperial Legislative
Council addressed a memorandum to the Viceroy on the subject of reforms in October 1916.
Their suggestions did not become news in the British circle, but were discussed, amended and
accepted at a subsequent meeting of the Congress and Muslim League leaders at Calcutta in
November 1916. This meeting settled the details of an agreement about the composition of the
legislatures and the quantum of representation to be allowed to the two communities. The
agreement was confirmed by the annual sessions of the Congress and the League in their annual
session held at Lucknow on December 29 and December 31, 1916 respectively. Sarojini Naidu
gave Jinnah, the chief architect of the Lucknow Pact, the title of the Ambassador of HinduMuslim Unity.
The main clauses of the Lucknow Pact were:
There shall be self-government in India.
Muslims should be given one-third representation in the central government.
There should be separate electorates for all the communities until a community demanded
for joint electorates.
System of weightage should be adopted.
The number of the members of Central Legislative Council should be increased to 150.
At the provincial level, four-fifth of the members of the Legislative Councils should be
elected and one-fifth should be nominated.
The strength of Provincial legislative should not be less than 125 in the major provinces
and from 50 to 75 in the minor provinces.
All members, except those nominated, were to be elected directly on the basis of adult
franchise.

No bill concerning a community should be passed if the bill is opposed by three-fourth of

the members of that community in the Legislative Council.
Term of the Legislative Council should be five years.
Members of Legislative Council should themselves elect their president.
Half of the members of Imperial Legislative Council should be Indians.
Indian Council must be abolished.
The salaries of the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs should be paid by the British
Government and not from Indian funds.
Out of two Under Secretaries, one should be Indian.
The Executive should be separated from the Judiciary.
Although this Hindu Muslim Unity was not able to live for more than eight years, and collapsed
after the development of differences between the two communities after the Khilafat Movement,
yet it was an important event in the history of the Muslims of South Asia. It was the first time
when Congress recognized the Muslim League as the political party representing the Muslims of
the region. As Congress agreed to separate electorates, it in fact agreed to consider the Muslims
as a separate nation. They thus accepted the concept of the Two-Nation Theory.
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