Govt of India Act 1935

Salient Features
Intro: Act 35 + marked + 2nd milestone + towards + Responsible Indian Govt. + after Act 19 + passed by
+ Brit Govt + 1935 + One of lengthiest Act + 321 sections + 10 Schedules + Last Constitution +
before Indo Pak div
Background Act 19+ not satisfactory + lacking provisions + self government form + Growing demand + for
Constitutional reforms + by Indian leaders + Task assigned to Simon Commission + Simon
Commission report + not considered satisfactory + lead to 3 round table conf + 1930-32 held in
London + After 3r conf + White paper pub in 1934 + incrop into Bill + known as Act 35 + Act
based on + Simon Comm Report + Recomm of round table confs + White paper (based on 3rd RTF)
+ Report on Joint Select Committee

Salient Written Act (14 parts 10 Schedules) + Federation (Unitary form abolished) + State Div into Uints +
Features Legislative Lists (Fed list + Prov list + Concurrent list) + Princely States (rqd to join Fed+ did not
joined)+ Provincial Autonomy (Ministers responsible to legislature) + Provinces Sep Legal entitites
+ Responsible Govt (Govt accountable)+ 11 Governor Provinces + 5 Chief Commissioner Provinces
+ Parlamentary System + Gov Gen Discretionary Admin Powers ( Trf & Reserved Subjects) +
Federal (Bi Cameral) Legilslature (Fed Assbly- Lower 5years + Council of States- Upper 1/3rd every
year) + Separate Electorate (33 1/3 % Muslims rep) + Provincial Franchise enlarged + Fed Court
(Act interpret + adjudicate Fed matters disputes) + Parliament Supermacy ( No indian legislature
alter + Only Britian Govt authorized to alter act 35)+ Province Reorganization (Sindh from Bombay
& Orissa from Bihar) + Burma separation + + Fed railway Authority + Checks on Legislature +
Dyarchy (Abolished from Provinces+ established at Centre ) Fed Subjects Division + Reserved
Subjects: External affairs, Defence & Tribal Areas + Transferred Subjects- Other than reserved

Act 35 leads to independence + decetralized powers (Centre to Provinces) +Separate Women Electorate +
Importance Muslims Electorate (33 1/3 %) + Provines automous status + Fed Govt + Fed court considered as SC

Criticism Couldn't deliver pomises + condemned by indian leaders + rejected by congress + empowers
discretionary powers to Gov & Gov gen + failed to provide fed structure + British Parliament virtual
rulers of India + Non flexibility to amend Constitution by Indians

Conclusion Major step towards Independence + Provincial autonomy + provide base for + Developing
Consititution of Pak after Independence