LUCKNOW PACT

(1916)
Grade 9
Lecture 4
• In 1915 both the Muslim league and Congress had their annual meeting
in Bombay. Muslim League partly with the urging of Jinnah had included
the demand for self-rule in their program which delighted the congress
and committees comprising of Muslim League and Congress were
formed to try to reach some common grounds of understanding.
• This feeling of co-operation led to the first major experiment and the two
parties tried to figure out common political ground against the British.
This culminated in 1916 with Lucknow Pact. Jinnah brought both the
parties closer. Jinnah led Muslim League while Ambeka Charan led
Congress. It was the greatest effort of Jinnah to bring both the nations
closer because he always tried his best to bring the Hindus and the
Muslims closer to each other. After this pact Jinnah was given the title of
'The Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity'

Background
1) The Congress accepted separate electorate for Muslims.
2) 1/3rd seats would be reserved for Muslims in central
legislature.
3) Muslims and Hindus would be given weighted in the
provinces where they formed minority.
4) No bill affecting any particular community would
proceed with in any council if 1/3rd of the representatives
of that community opposed it.

Main Provision of the

Pact
•The number of elected seats on the councils should be
increased.
•Motions, which were passed by large majorities in the
councils, should be accepted as binding by the British
government.
•Minorities in the provinces should be protected.
• All provinces should have autonomy

COMMON SET OF
DEMANDS PRESENTED
Congress, for the first time, recognized Indian Muslims as a
separate nation by accepting separate electorates. It was the
first and last time that both, AIML & INC, were jointly
agreed by the set of constitutional reforms and political
demands against the British. Most of the Constitutional
features of the pact were later incorporate in the reforms of
1919.

Importance