Morley-Minto Reforms 1909: The Indian Council Act of 1909, also known as the Morley-Minto Act, was a significant reform introduced during British rule in India. It was named after Lord John Morley, the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs, and Lord Minto, the Viceroy of India at that time. The purpose of the Morley-Minto Act was to address the demands of the moderate faction in the Indian National Congress and increase Indian participation in the governance of the country. In this article, we will give you a brief info about Morley-Minto Act 1909 and the Morley Minto pdf to download.
The Indian Council Act 1909, also known as the Morley-Minto Reforms, was a significant legislative measure enacted in 1909 during British colonial rule in India. The Act introduced several changes to the political structure of India at that time. It expanded the size of legislative councils, allowed for the election of Indian representatives, granted them the power to introduce legislative proposals and question the budget, and facilitated the participation of Indians in the British administration.
In October 1906, a prominent group of Muslim elites known as the Shimla Deputation, led by the Agha Khan, met with Lord Minto and made demands for separate electorates for Muslims, as well as greater representation beyond their numerical strength. Soon after, this same group took control of the Muslim League, which had been initially established by Nawab Salimullah of Dacca, Nawabs Mohsin-ul-Mulk, and Waqar-ul-Mulk in December 1906.
The main objective of the Muslim League was to promote loyalty to the British Empire and prevent the Muslim intelligentsia from aligning with the Indian National Congress.
Both John Morley, the Liberal Secretary of State for India, and Lord Minto, the Conservative Viceroy of India, believed that addressing the unrest in Bengal alone was insufficient to stabilize British rule after the partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon. They saw supporting the Muslim League and its demands as a significant step to gain the support of loyal upper-class Indians and the increasingly Westernized population.
The Government of India Act of 1909 introduced separate electorates, leading to the division of the electorate with Muslim members being elected solely by Muslim voters. This Act also brought significant changes to the composition of provincial councils by abolishing the previous system of an “Official Majority,” which involved the appointment of a majority of members from civil service officials. However, an official majority was still maintained in the Central Legislative Council.
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The Morley-Minto Reforms, also known as the Indian Councils Act of 1909, were significant legislative changes introduced during British rule in India. These reforms aimed to address the demands for greater representation and participation of Indians in the legislative process. They introduced the concept of separate electorates, expanded the size of legislative councils, and allowed for indirect elections through an electoral college system. The Morley-Minto Reforms had a lasting impact on India’s political development and laid the groundwork for future constitutional reforms. For more detailed information you can refer To Morley-Minto PDF.
Morley-Minto PDF Download Link
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The Viceroy during the time of the Morley-Minto reforms in 1909 was Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto.
As for the creation of a separate Electoral College in 1919, it was done in response to the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, which aimed to expand Indian participation in the legislative process.
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