In the administrative sphere of India, at that time the Secretary of State for India, Lord Morley, and the Viceroy of India, Lord Minto, jointly formulated the ‘Morley Minto Reforms 1909’, commonly known as the ‘Indian Councils Act 1909’. To handle the political instability of that time, they had determined certain specific policies in the administrative framework. And their subsequent British rulers largely maintained these policies without making significant changes.
The policies determined by Lord Morley and Lord Minto had three main characteristics. These were repressive policies, providing some opportunities for moderates to unite them by separating them from extremists, and the open application of divide and rule policy. And the main objective of these reforms was to form a separate electorate by applying communal strategy.
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What is Indian Councils Act 1909 or Morley Minto Reforms 1909
The political situation in India had become turbulent mainly due to four reasons: firstly, the anti-partition of Bengal and the Swadeshi movement; secondly, the emergence and spread of terrorism; thirdly, the Muslim League’s demand for separate elections; and fourthly, the intense disagreement between moderates and extremists within Congress. To stop these anti-British political activities and weaken the national movement, Secretary of State Lord Morley and Viceroy Lord Minto jointly adopted a plan for administrative reform. This administrative reform introduced in 1909 is known as ‘Morley Minto Reforms 1909’ or ‘Indian Councils Act 1909’.
Background of Indian Councils Act 1909
- The political instability of the late nineteenth century was the direct cause behind the introduction of the Indian Council Act 1909. Additionally, since the Indian Councils Act of 1892 failed to fulfill the hopes of the Indian National Congress, discontent had emerged among educated Indian people. It wasn’t difficult for the government to suppress any peasant or worker rebellion, but the problem was with these protesting educated Indians. Because Lord Morley and Lord Minto knew well that granting civil liberties and administrative rights was the only practical way to keep these protesting educated Indians satisfied.
- When Lord Curzon divided Bengal in 1905, the influence of the Swadeshi and Boycott movements spread across vast areas. Due to the intense Swadeshi movement and the spread of extremism, the administration was forced to rethink constitutional reforms. Additionally, the development of nationalism among every Indian forced the British government to reconsider constitutional reforms from 1906 onwards.
- To pacify the anger centered around the partition of Bengal and to implement some administrative reforms, the liberal-minded Secretary of State, Lord Morley, appealed to Viceroy, Lord Minto. The government realized that India could no longer be ruled by keeping it within a ‘cast iron bureaucracy’. Indians had to be given some power, and if necessary, Indians would need to be included in the executive council.
- Therefore, to pacify the nationalist movement, the government established alliances with conservative individuals or organizations in Indian society, and to control the turbulent situation, they passed the Indian Councils Act 1909, or Morley Minto Reforms 1909.
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Main provisions of Morley Minto Reforms 1909
- Through this act, the number of members was increased in both the Central and Provincial Legislative Councils. The Central Legislative Council now has 60 members instead of just 16 members. Among these 60 members, 27 were elected members. Within these 27 seats, 8 seats were separately reserved for Muslims. Among the remaining 33 nominated members, not more than 28 were government officials.
- For provincial legislative councils, the maximum number of members was kept between 30 and 50. In this case too, the number of official members and nominated non-official members was slightly higher than elected members in all provinces except for Bengal. Most non-official members were elected through local representative assemblies, zamindars class, commercial organizations, and universities.
- For the first time, it provided an opportunity for Indians to participate in the Executive Council of the Viceroy and Governors. The first Indian to serve on the Viceroy’s Executive Council was Satyendra Prasad Sinha appointed as a law member.
- The number of members in the executive councils of Madras and Bombay was increased from 2 to 4.
- Based on the idea of a “separate electorate,” it established a system of communal representation for Muslims. Only Muslim voters would be able to elect Muslim members under it. As a result, Lord Minto gained notoriety as the “father of communal electorate,” and the Act provided “legal recognition to communalism.”
- The electoral system was very indirect. As a result, representation of the general public remained distant and unrealistic.
- In the 1909 reforms, the powers of central and provincial legislatures were significantly increased. Members could discuss the budget and propose amendments. However, discussion or acceptance of proposals was prohibited on several matters, including native states, military departments, foreign policy, etc.
- The responsibility for seat distribution and determining voter qualifications was given to local authorities.
Limitations of Indian Councils Act 1909
- This act caused damage to India’s national unity and nationalism.
- The Morley Minto Reforms Act neither gave any special powers to the legislative councils nor did it provide voting rights to common people in the voting law. There was no provision for women’s voting rights.
- This act highly centralized power in the hands of the viceroy at the Central, while provincial governments had only nominal powers.
- Indians had expected a responsible, elected self-governing government. The Indian Councils Act of 1909 did not fulfill their expectations.
- Since the number of nominated members was greater than the number of elected members in the central legislature, the viceroy could rule as he wished with their help.
- The Indian Councils Act 1909 was mainly introduced to please Congress’s moderate leaders and the Muslim community. While this act succeeded in pleasing Muslims through separate elections, the moderates were disappointed. The British government’s policy of trying to attract moderates but actually pushing them away did not work in their favor. As a result, the influence and terrorist activities of extremists increased.
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Significances of Indian Councils Act 1909
- Percival Spear, while acknowledging its limitations, praised the Act of 1909, calling it “a major landmark in the progress of India towards self-government.”
- Through this act, for the first time, the number of non-official members was increased in both central and provincial legislatures.
- The most significant role of the Morley-Minto Reforms or the Indian Councils Act 1909 was to merge the constitutional practices and rule of law introduced by the British Raj with the autocratic rule inherited from the Mughal era.
