The Crown Rule (1858- 1947) - Part IV : Morley-Minto Reforms (1909)

The Crown Rule (1858- 1947) - Part IV

Morley- Minto Reforms (1909): 

The Indian Council Act (1909) also known as Morley-Mito Reforms (Lord Morley was the then Secretary of State for India and Lord Minto was the then Viceroy of India).

Features of the Act:

• It considerably increased the size of the legislative councils of both Central and provincial. The number of members in the Central legislative council was raised from sixteen (16) to sixty (60). The number of members in the provincials was not uniform.

• It retained the official majority in the Central legislative council but allowed the provincial legislative council to have the non-official majority.

• It enlarged the deliberative functions of the legislative councils at both levels. For example, members were allowed to ask supplementary questions, move resolutions on the budget, and so on.

• It provided for the first time for the association of Indians with the executive councils of the viceroy and Governors, Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the first Indian to join the Viceroy's Executive Council. He was appointed as a law member.

• It introduced a system of communal representation for Muslims by accepting the concept of a 'separate electorate'. Under this, the Muslim members were to be elected by the Muslim voters. Thus, the Act 'legalized communalism' and Lord Minto came to be known as the 'Father of Communal Electorate'.

• It also provided for the separate representation of presidential corporations, chambers of commerce, universities, and zamindars. 

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