Who is called the 'Father of Communal Electorate' in India?

Correct option is D

The correct answer is (d) Lord Minto.

Lord Minto (Governor-General & Viceroy of India, 1905-1910) is called the "Father of Communal Electorate" in India because he introduced separate electorates for Muslims through the Indian Councils Act, 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms). This allowed Muslims to elect their own representatives, leading to the rise of communal politics in India.

Information Booster

• Communal Electorate: A system where different religious communities vote separately for their own representatives. Introduced in 1909, it later expanded in the Government of India Act, 1919 and the Government of India Act, 1935.
• Morley-Minto Reforms (1909): Provided separate electorates for Muslims, increased the size of legislative councils, and allowed Indians to be part of the councils.
• Impact: Encouraged political separatism, later influencing the demand for Pakistan.

Additional Knowledge

• Lord Curzon: Known for the Partition of Bengal (1905), which led to massive protests and the Swadeshi Movement.
• Lord Hardinge: Oversaw the Delhi Durbar (1911), where the British capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.
• Lord Morley: The Secretary of State for India during the 1909 Reforms, worked alongside Lord Minto but did not introduce the communal electorate system directly.