Modern Indian History: The Indian Councils Act of 1909 was also known as the Morley-Minto Reforms, after Lord John Morley, the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs, and Lord Minto, the Viceroy. In an effort to broaden the purview of the Legislative Councils, appease the demands of the moderates within the Indian National Congress, and boost Indian participation in administration, it first adopted the electoral system. The Indian Council Acts of 1861 and 1892 were modified by the Act.

In order to defend the empire, a delegation of Muslim elite known as the Simla Deputation, led by the Aga Khan, met with Lord Meatty in October 1906 and sought a separate electorate for Muslims as well as higher representation than their numbers.

The Muslim League, which had been founded by Nawab Salimullah of Dhaka together with Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk and Nawab Baqar-ul-Mulk in December 1906, was swiftly opposed by the same group. The Muslim League’s goals were to promote Empire allegiance and keep the Muslim intellectual elite away from the Congress.

John Morley, the Liberal Secretary of State for India and the Conservative Viceroy of India, believed Minto was necessary to quell the rebellion in Bengal, but was not sufficient to restore stability to the British Raj following the partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon. He believed that a dramatic move was needed to win over the loyalist elements of the Indian upper classes and the increasingly westernized part of the population.

Modern Indian History

Features of the Act

• The Central Legislative Council and the Provincial Legislative Council both saw significant growth in size. The Central Legislative Council now has 60 members instead of its previous 16 members. The Provincial Legislative Councils did not all have the same number of members. Although the Provincial Legislative Councils were forbidden from having an official majority, the Central Legislative Council’s official majority was preserved.
• Indirect voting was to be used to select the elected members. The members of the central legislature would be chosen by the electoral college, which would then choose representatives from the provincial legislatures.
• It increased the scope of the Legislative Councils’ deliberative duties at both levels. Members could make budget-related motions and ask follow-up questions, for instance.
• It allowed for the first time the inclusion of Indians on the Viceroy and Governors’ executive councils. The first Indian to join the Viceroy’s Executive Council was Satyendra Prasad Sinha. He was selected to be a law member. The Secretary of State for Indian Affairs’ Council now includes two Indians.
• It adopted the idea of “separate electorates,” introducing a system of communal representation for Muslims. According to this, only Muslims were eligible to vote for the Muslim members. As a result, the Act made communalism legal, and Lord Minto became recognized as the originator of the communal electorate.
• It also allowed for distinct representation of Zamindars, Chambers of Commerce, Universities, and Presidency Corporations.

Evaluation of reforms

• The reforms of 1909 were no answer and could provide no answer to the Indian political problem. Lord Morley made it clear that colonial self-government (as demanded by Congress) was not suitable for India, and he was against the introduction of parliamentary or responsible government in India.
• The ‘constitutional’ reforms were, in fact, aimed at dividing the nationalist ranks by confusing the moderates and preventing the development of unity among Indians through the unpleasant means of separate electorates.
• The government’s aim was to unite moderates and Muslims against the rising tide of nationalism.
  Officials and Muslim leaders often referred to the entire community when they spoke of separate electorates, but in reality this meant appeasement of only a small section of the Muslim elite.
• The Congress regarded separate electorates as undemocratic and an obstacle to the development of a common Hindu-Muslim Indian national sentiment.
• In addition, the election system was very indirect and gave the impression of infiltration of legislators through many sieves and, while parliamentary forms were introduced, no responsibility was accepted, which sometimes led to thoughtless and unconscionable acts of government. There was responsible criticism.
• Only a few members, such as Gokhale, made constructive use of the opportunity for debate in the councils by demanding universal primary education, attacking repressive policies, and drawing attention to the plight of indentured laborers and Indian laborers in South Africa.
• The position of the Governor-General remained unchanged and his veto power remained unquestioned and the Act successfully maintained relentless constitutional despotism.
• The reforms of 1909 gave the people of the country a shadow rather than an essence.

The Act of 1909 was important for the following reasons:

• Despite the fact that few Indians had previously been elected to the different Legislative Councils in India, it finally permitted for their election. Despite being against Morley’s original aim, the inclusion of the electoral concept created the foundation for a parliamentary system. Additionally, it acknowledged the alternative principle as the foundation for the Legislative Council’s composition for the first time.
• Indians now have more channels through which to air their complaints. They also had the chance to criticize leaders and offer ideas for more effective management. Pakistan headed toward Islamic orthodoxy and Dalits came under increased persecution after Jinnah’s death in September 1948.
• The Indian Councils Act of 1909 was established to pacify the moderates and appease them from the national movement by giving separate electorates to Muslims. The people demanded self-government but what was given to them was ‘benevolent despotism’.