The Government of India Act, 1919, was based on
The Government of India Act, 1919, was based on:
- Morley-Minto Reforms
- Montagu-Chelmsford Report
- Simon Commission
- Nehru Report
Answer: Montagu-Chelmsford Report
The British Parliament passed the Government of India Act in 1919 to expand the participation of Indians in the government of India. The Act was based on a report by Edwin Montagu, the Secretary of State for India at the time, and Lord Chelmsford, India’s Viceroy, between 1916 and 1921. Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, or Mont-Ford Reforms, are the constitutional reforms enacted by this Act, which aimed to gradually introduce self-governing institutions in British India.
The Act provided a dual form of government (a ‘diarchy’) for the major provinces. In each such province
– Control of some areas of government, the ‘transferred list‘, were given to a Government of ministers answerable to the Provincial Council. The ‘transferred list’ included agriculture, supervision of the local government, health, and education.
– All other areas of government, the ‘reserved list‘, remained under the control of the Viceroy. The ‘reserved list’ included defence (the military), foreign affairs, and communications.
Important Aspects of the Government of India Act, 1919
1. The Act had a separate Preamble that declared that the British Government’s objective was the gradual introduction of responsible government in India.
2. This Act made the central legislature bicameral. The lower house was the Legislative Assembly, with 145 members serving three-year terms (the model for today’s Lok Sabha); the upper house was the Council of States with 60 members serving five-year terms (the model for today’s Rajya Sabha)
3. The Act provided for establishing a Public Service Commission in India for the first time.
4. This Act also made a provision that a statutory commission would be set up at the end of 10 years after the Act was passed, which shall inquire into the working system of the government. The Simon commission of 1927 was an outcome of this provision.
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