The Lucknow Session 1916 {presided by Ambica Charan Majumdar) was special

in many respects. Firstly, this session brought the moderates and extremists in

Congress on common platform again after nearly a decade, particularly due
to efforts of Annie Besant.  The Congress President in his address said that “if the
congress was buried at Surat, it is reborn in Lucknow in the garden of Wajid Ali
Shah“. Secondly, Congress and All India Muslim League signed the historic
Lucknow Pact.
The aims and objectives of Muslim League were hitherto unclear and confusing,
except that it was started in 1906 by Muslim aristocrats and landlords to preserve
Muslim interests and to support British. Till the signing of Lucknow Pact, it
seemed to be a fringe organization though it had rapidly brought many Muslims
into its fold in a decade.
Meanwhile, Viceroy Lord Chelmsford had invited suggestions from the Indians for
Post WW-I reforms in lieu of the Indian support in the war. At this juncture, the
Muslim League sought for a sort of joint platform with the congress to put
constitutional pressure on the British Government towards making reforms. The
idea was that such joint demand would give an impression of Hindu-Muslim unity.
Towards this, Congress and Muslim League negotiated an agreement whose main
clauses are as follows:
1. There shall be self-government in India.
2. Muslims should be given one-third representation in the central
government.
3. There should be  separate electorates for all the communities  until a
community demanded joint electorates.
4. A system of weightage to minority political representation(giving minorities
more representation in the government then is proportional to their share of the
population) should be adopted.
5. The number of the members of Central Legislative Council should be
increased to 150.
6. At the provincial level, four-fifth of the members of the Legislative Councils
should be elected and one-fifth should be nominated.
7. The size of provincial legislatures should not be less than 125 in the major
provinces and from 50 to 75 in the minor provinces.
8. All members, except those nominated, should be elected directly on the
basis of adult franchise.
9. 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.
10. The term of the Legislative Council should be five years.
11. Members of Legislative Council should themselves elect their president.
12. Half of the members of Imperial Legislative Council should be Indians.
13. The salaries of the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs should be paid by the
British government and not from Indian funds.
14. Of the two Under Secretaries, one should be Indian.
15. The Executive should be separated from the Judiciary.
Further, resolution condemning the Arms Act and Press Act were passed which
had virtually reduced the people and the press to a condition of absolute
helplessness.
The Lucknow Session appeared to have given a perception of Hindu-Muslim unity;
but it was signed without regard for its consequences.  Firstly, a blunder was
committed by approving one third representations of the Muslims on the basis of
their being a minority was biggest blunder; not because Muslims deserved it; but
because it sowed the seeds of communal politics. Secondly, this pact made it open
and clear that India has different communities and each one of them has its own
interests. Thirdly, the Muslim member’s strength in the legislature was laid down
province-by-province. This was one of the most dangerous pacifist policies of
congress. It not only recognized communal representation but also recognized
communal privileges. Fourthly, in the imperial legislative council, Muslim
representation was slated to be 1/3rd, although their population was not 1/3rd. And
lastly, any legislature could not work if on any more 3/4th member of any religion
opposed it; its consequence was introduction of communal veto in legislature. INC
leaders thought that they are sacrificing their seat in the legislature yet, they failed
to understand its logical implications and partition in the offing.
Nevertheless, the Lucknow pact at that time it was called a symbol of Hindu
Muslim unity. Sarojini Nayudu hailed Jinnah as an “Ambassador of Hindu-
Muslim Unity”. The unity lasted only a few years.