1 Government of India Act, 1919

(Montague-Chelmsford Reforms)

Circumstances of the passage of the Subsequently, in July 1918, the Montagu-Chelmsford

Government of India Act of 1919 AD -
 Failure to fulfill the demand for self-government of
Indians through the Government of India Act, 1909.
 Discontent arising out of the electoral system on
communal lines.
 Agreement between Congress and Muslim League in
1916.
 In the report of the Mesopotamians Commission
published in 1916-17, the British were declared unfit to
rule in India.
 Awakening among Indians by the popularity of Home
Rule Movement, development of national consciousness.
 Cooperation of Indians in the First World War.
As a result of all these circumstances, the British
Government changed its policies in India.
Edwin Montagu was appointed as the Secretary of State
for India by the British Prime Minister David Lloyd
George.
On August 20, 1917, India's Secretary 'Montague'
announced in the House of Commons of Britain that for the
gradual development of responsible government in Indiawill
be done. Indians would be given greater participation in
administration and progressively the development of self-
governing institutions.
The Montagu Declaration was called the "Magna
Carta of India" by the liberals.
After this, Montagu came to India to discuss with the leaders
and discussed with the Governor General Chelmsford and
Indian leaders in Shimla.
Report was published, which was related to the
constitutional reforms in India.
On the basis of this report, the Government of India Act,
1919 was passed.
Key Provisions
 The term 'responsible governance' was clearly
mentioned for the first time in this Act.
 Direct election system was adopted for the first time by
this act and women were also given the right to vote.
 Under the direct election system, voting rights for the
people increased from 3 percent to 10 percent.
 The electoral system on communal lines was
implemented for Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-
Indians and Europeans.
 The number of members of the Indian Council was fixed
at a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 12.
 By this act, a bicameral legislature was established at the
center for the first time. Under which the States Council
and the Central Legislative Assembly were established.
The State Council was called the Upper House and the
Central Legislative Assembly was the Lower House.
 The term of the State Council was for 5 years and that of
the Central Legislative Assembly was for 3 years.
 The powers of both the State Council and the Central
Legislative Assembly were equal, but only the Central
Legislative Assembly had the right to approve the budget.
The bicameral central assembly could make laws for the
whole of British India.

Bicameral
Legislature

Central
States Council Legislative
Assembly

Elected Nominated Elected Nominated

34 26 104 34

NIRMAN IAS GWALIOR 1 BY SANJAY GUPTA

 First of all, a High Commissioner was appointed to help
and reduce the workload of the Secretary of India, whose
office was located in London.
 Under this act, a provision was made to pay the expenses
of the Secretary of India and his council from the British
revenue, which was earlier paid from the revenue of
India.
 The main feature of the Act of 1919 was the
establishment of dyarchy in the provinces. For this, the
central and provincial subjects were separated. This Act
made provision for the classification of Central and
Provincial subjects.
 The provincial (total 51) subjects were again divided into
two parts, in which 29 were kept under reserved subjects
and 22 transferred subjects-
Reserved Subjects Transferred Subjects
Revenue, Justice, Health, Education,
Finance, Police, Religious Management,
Irrigation, Land Taxes, Agriculture Department,
Famine Aid, Pensions, Measurement and Public
Criminal Castes, Printing Works Department,
Newspapers, Waterways, Library, Museum, Local
Mines, Factory, Autonomous Government,
Electricity, Gas, Boilers, Medical Aid, Excise,
Labour Welfare, Industry and donation etc.
Industrial Disputes,
Motor Vehicles, Small
Ports and Public Services
etc.
The reserved subjects were governed by the governor on the
advice of the members of his council (Executive Council).
The transferred subjects were governed by the governor, on
the advice of the Indian ministers. These ministers were
taken from among the members of the Legislative Assembly,
who were also responsible to the Governor's Council,
although legally their appointment and removal were with the
Governor. Due to this arrangement, the executive committee
of the governor was also divided into two parts-
1. The governor and his council- Reserved subjects were
under it.That is, the governor and his council which was
an irresponsible part of the government and had no
responsibility to the legislative assembly.
2. Governor and Indian Ministers – These had transferred
subjects, i.e., the governor and the Indian ministers could
be considered a responsible part of the government and
were expected to be responsible to the legislative
assembly.
 Thus, the provincial government was divided into two
parts. Due to this division of governance, this system was
called Dyarchy.
 Under this Act, Legislative Councils were formed in 8
provinces.
 Diarchy was started in Bengal, Madras, Bombay, Uttar
Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Assam from
NIRMAN IAS GWALIOR
April 1, 1921. In 1923 AD, when the Burma Legislative
Council and in 1932 AD, when the North-West Frontier
Province was established, it was also included under the
dyarchy system.
 The dual system of government introduced on April 1,
1921, continued till April, 1937, although it could not
work in Bengal from 1924 to 1927 and in the Central
Provinces from 1924 to 1926.
 Lionel Cartis was the father of Dyarchy. He described the
dual rule in his book 'Dyarchy'.
 Sir Alexander Moodyman was the chairman of the
committee to investigate the failure of the diarchy system.
 Under this Act, provision was made for the formation of a
Public Service Commission in India. As a result of this,
the Central Public Service Commission was formed in
1926 AD (on the recommendation of Lee Commission)
for the recruitment of civil servants.
 For the first time, the Union budget was separated from
the state budget by this act.
 For the first time, a limited number of people were given
franchise on the basis of property, tax and education
for direct election.
 Authorized the state legislatures to make their own
budget.
 The Secretary of India was given the power to appoint the
Auditor General of India.
 General elections held under the provisions of
Government of India Act, 1919
General Elections of 1920
General elections were held in British India in 1920 to elect
members of the Imperial Legislative Council and provincial
councils, the first elections in the country's modern history.
The Imperial Legislative Council had 104 elected seats, of
which 66 were contested. Harisingh Gaur's Nationalist Party
won 48 seats.
Elections were held for 637 seats in the Provincial Legislative
Assembly, out of which 188 were elected unopposed.
These elections were boycotted by Mahatma Gandhi.
General Elections of 1923
In November 1923, general elections were held for the Central
Legislative Assembly and the Provincial Assemblies in British
India, in which direct elections were held for 105 seats out of
145 seats in the Central Legislative Assembly.
General Elections of 1926
Elections to the Imperial Legislative Council and the
provincial legislative councils were held from 28 October to
mid-November 1926.
In these general elections, the Swaraj Party was victorious in
the provincial legislative councils of Bengal and Madras,
winning 38 seats.
The Swaraj Party also made gains in the Bihar and Orissa
Provincial Legislative Councils under the leadership of
Motilal Nehru.
2 BY SANJAY GUPTA
 General Elections of 1930
 General elections were held in British India in September
1930.
 The Nationalist Party led by Harisingh Gaur won 40 of
the 104 seats.
These elections were boycotted by the Indian National
Congress and these elections were marked by public apathy.
General Elections of 1934
 In 1934, elections were held on 147 seats, in which the
Congress party under the leadership of Bhulabhai Desai
won the maximum (42) seats.
General Elections of 1945
 According to the announcement of the Viceroy Lord
Bewell on 19 September 1945, elections to the Central
and Provincial Assemblies were to be held between
December 1945 and January 1946.
 An All-India Federation was proposed under the
Government of India Act 1935.
 The All India Union could not come into existence due to
the absence of the princely states in the union, so the
elections to the central legislature were held under the
provisions of the Government of India Act 1919.
 The Indian National Congress emerged as the single
largest party in these general elections, winning 59 of the
102 seats.
Important Statements
 "The Act of 1919 was an attempt to make an influential
class a supporter of the British state for at least 10 years"
– B. R. Tomlinson
 "The Mount Ford Reforms are a way of further curtailing
India's wealth and prolonging her slavery."- Mahatma
Gandhi
 "The Act of 1919 is an unsatisfactory Act" - Indian
National Congress
 "By the Act of 1919, the British authorities promised to
introduce parliamentary rule in India. As a result,
responsible governance started partly, in the course of
which political independence was achieved in 1947." -
Prof. Srinivasan
 “I was a Development Minister, but I did not have
Irrigation Department, I became Industries Minister, but
factories, instruments and hydropower, mines or labor
departments were reserved subjects, not under me.” –K.
B. Reddy

NIRMAN IAS GWALIOR 3 BY SANJAY GUPTA

 Practice Series
1. The declaration of reforms of 20th August, 1917 is
known as-
(a) Montagu Declaration (b) Marley Declaration
(c) Minto Declaration (d)Chelmsford Declaration
Answer (a)
2. Who is considered the father of Dyarchy?
(a) Lord Clive
(b) Hector Munro
(c) Lord Macaulay
(d) Sir LeonilCartis
(e) none of the above / more than one of the above
Answer (d)
3. Montagu-Chelmsford Report-
(a) Formed the basis of the Indian Councils Act, 1909
(b) Formed the basis of the Government of India Act,
1919
(c) Formed the basis of the Government of India Act,
1935
(d) Formed the basis of the Indian Independence Act,
1947
Answer (b)
4. When the Montagu Chelmsford Act was passed in
1919, who was the Prime Minister of England?
(a) Lloyd George (b) George Hamilton
(c) Sir Samuel Hauer (d) Lord Salisbury
8. The Government of India Act, 1919 clearly defined
(e) none of the above / more than one of the above
Answer (a) which of the following?
5. Under which act was the Diarchy System implemented (a) Separation of power between the judiciary and the
in the provinces? legislature
(a) 1892 (b) 1909 (b) Jurisdiction of Central and Provincial Governments
(c) 1919 (d) 1935
(c) Powers of Secretary of State and Viceroy of India
Answer (c)
(d) None of the above
6. In the context of Indian constitutional development,
Answer (b)
the principle of 'Diarchy' refers to which of the
following? 9. The act to implement the Dyarchy system was
(a) Division of the Central Legislature into two houses introduced in-
(b) The introduction of two governments i.e. Central and (a) 1861 (b) 1892
State Governments. (c) 1909 (d) 1919
(c) Two ruler-sets to be one in London and the other in Answer (d)
Delhi.
10. Among the following, mark the false statement about
(d) Division of subjects delegated into provinces into two
the Government of India Act, 1919-
categories.
Answer (d) (a) This act is also known as Marley-Minto Reform Act.

7. What was the Montagu-Chelmsford proposal related (b) Central and provincial subjects were separated in this

to? act.

(a) Social Reforms (c) The Government of India Act, 1919, came into force

(b) Educational Reforms in 1921.

(d) Montagu was the Secretary of State for India and
(c) Reforms in Police Administration
Lord Chelmsford was the Viceroy of India.
(d) Constitutional Reforms
Answer (a)
Answer (d)
NIRMAN IAS GWALIOR 4 BY SANJAY GUPTA
11. Consider the following statements- 15. Under which act the state legislatures were authorized
to make their own budget?
Assertion (I): With the enforcement of the
(a) Council of India Act, 1892
Government of India Act, 1919, the structure and (b) Council of India Act, 1909
features of governance remained unitary and central. (c) Government of India Act, 1919
(d) Government of India Act, 1935
Reason (II) : A major part of the power was delegated
Answer (c)
to the provinces. 16. Which of the following is/are the salient features of the
Code: Government of India Act of 1919?
(a) Both (I) and (II) are correct and (II) is the correct 1. The system of dyarchy in the executive government
of the provinces
explanation of (I). 2. Provision of separate communal electorates for
(b) Both (I) and (II) are correct, but (II) is not the correct Muslims
explanation of (I). 3. Devolution of legislative power by the center to the
provinces
(c) (I) is correct, but (II) is false. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
(d) (I) is wrong, but (II) is correct. (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
Answer (d) (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3
Answer (c)
12. Consider the following statements-
17. The Indian Legislature was made bicameral for the
Assertion (I): Dyarchy meant the division of the first time-
subjects of administration into two classes. (a) By the Indian Councils Act of 1892
(b) By the Indian Councils Act of 1909
Reason (II) : Efforts were made to enforce the sense of
(c) By the Government of India Act of 1919
responsible governance in the provinces. (d) By the Government of India Act of 1935
With reference to the above, which one of the Answer (c)
following is the correct answer? 18. Which act brought bicameral legislature at the center?
(a) 1961 Act (b) 1917 Act
Code: (c) 1919 Act (d) 1915 Act
(a) Both (I) and (II) are correct and (II) is the correct Answer (c)
explanation of (I). 19. Which of the following election to the Central
Legislative Assembly was held under the Government
(b) Both (I) and (II) are correct, but (II) is not the correct
of India Act, 1919?
explanation of (I). (i) 1926
(c) (I) is correct, but (II) is false. (ii) 1937
(iii) 1945
(d) (I) is wrong, but (II) is correct.
Select the correct answer from the code given below-
Answer (a) Code:
13. Through which act provision was made for the (a) only (i) (b) only (ii) and (iii)
formation of Public Service Commission in colonial (c) (i) and (iii) (d) (i), (ii) and (iii)
Answer (b)
India? 20. Simon Commission was constituted to review which
(a) Government of India Act, 1919 act?
(b) Government of India Act, 1935 (a) Government of India Act, 1858
(b) India Council Act, 1892
(c) Council of India Act, 1909 (c) India Council Act, 1909
(d) Council of India Act, 1892 (d) Government of India Act, 1919
Answer (a) Answer (d)
21. How was the Government of India Act, 1919 different
14. Consider the above statements- from the Government of India Act, 1935?
1. A bicameral legislature was established at the 1. Separate electorates were provided to Sikhs,
Center under the Government of India Act, 1919. Indian Christians and Europeans by the
Government of India Act, 1919, while the
2. Out of the total 60 members in the State Council, Government of India Act, 1935 provided separate
26 members were nominated. electorates to the Scheduled Castes.
2. Provisions were made for the establishment of a
3. Proportional representation was given to all other
Federal Court in the Government of India Act,
sections like Muslim, Sikh etc. including women in 1919, while the Government of India Act, 1935
the nominated members. made provisions for the establishment of a Public
Service Commission.
4. The tenure of the House was 5 years. Select the correct answer using the code given below-
Choose the correct code- (a) 1 only
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 4 (d) neither 1 nor 2
Answer (d) Answer (a)

NIRMAN IAS GWALIOR 5 BY SANJAY GUPTA

22. By which act was the Public Service Commission 24. The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined
established for the first time in India? the following.
(a) India Council Act, 1892 (a) Separation of power between judiciary and
(b) Council Act, 1909 legislature
(c) Government of India, 1919 (b) Jurisdiction of Central and Provincial Governments
(d) Government of India Act, 1935 (c) Jurisdiction of the Viceroy and the Governors of the
Answer (c) Provinces
23. What was the main objective of Montagu-Chelmsford (d) Powers of Secretary of State and Viceroy for India
Reform? Answer (b)
(a) Diarchy system in the provinces 25. In which year the last election to the Indian legislature
(b) Muslim separate electorate was held under the Government of India Act, 1919?
(c) Granting autonomy to Indians (MPPSC 2020)

(d) None of the above (a) 1930 (b) 1934

Answer (a) (c) 1945 (d) 1947

Answer (c)

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