Indian Council Act 1892

Legislative Correct (Central

Legislature
harnas General

/
X Executive Council.

INDIAN COUNCIL ACT1861 -

Central
Legislative
Council (Povincial Legislature
-
X Executive Crust.

-incial

COUNCI

It considerably
increased the size of
110 to 16 Mezber) the legislative
councils, both Central
(6 to 12 Member) It increased the
number of and provincial. The
Viceroy should additional (non- number of members in
nominate some official) members in the Central legislative
Indians as non- the Central and council was raised
official members of provincial legislative from 16 to 60
his expanded councils
MINTO REFORM
Chart10Acq REVOLT OF 1857
council.
INDIAN COUNCIL ACTIOGINDIAN
COUNCILACT 1892
MORLEY
INDIAN COUNCIL ACT1909

1
1773 "goa
I 1
1005
11
1833 1853 1857
1858 161 1892
INC formed
Gout of India
Regulating Charter Act
↑
Decentralisation
* Process started ↑
Act1773 1853 Act 1858
of
It separated, for the first
time, the legislative and 6 + o12(40) Member
executive functions of the
Nominate Additional official
Non-officialsee
Governor-General’s council.
-

It provided for addition of six

-
Member -
new members called
legislative councillors to the
1 ↓ ↓
council. In other words, it
established a separate
1 Legislative Correct (Central
Legislature
INDIAN
heral
homas Finance Related Discussion Not allowed.
Governor-General’s
legislative council which

#
Executive Council Indian not allowed
came to be known as the
-

Indian (Central) Legislative viceroy - Executive Council

Member
Council MAN CO NN

#A+105/99
Erecline are. CoMewbe Legislative
Council
(Povincial Legislature
Power

-nice
Law
Making
Executive Crust.
 #05 Formed
Indian National Congress

INC have some suggestion to the British

Authorities to be include the

in
upcoming
COUNCIL ACT
N

increased.
Number the Additional Member should be
*
of
nominated
* Additional Member should beelected father than being
by Viceroy.
Related Council.
* INC wanted Finance Discussion allowed in
Legislative

* Military Expenditure should be reduced.

Civil should held topic well.

Indian
* Service Exam be in as

#C -> Demand / Pressure ->

Authority Governorpeneral of India/viceroy
ish
Lord Dufferin (1004-08)

He firmly believed that the association of Indians representing the enlightened public opinion in the proposed reformed Councils would mean that
Government of India had the support of Indian people.

Therefore, during his entire tenure Lord Dufferin tried hard to persuade the Secretary of State to agree to the reformation of Legislative Councils and

he appointed a Committee consisting of Sir George Chesney, Sir Charles Aitchison and James Westland to plan out a scheme for the re-
organization of the Councils.

Lord Dufferin made it clear that the scheme of reforms was intended to raise the status of the Councils and to introduce into them, the elective
principle.'

After the Government of India's recommendations on reforms, Lord Dufferin left India and was succeeded by Lord Lansdowne.

The Secretary of State, Lord Cross was willing to enlarge the Provincial Councils but was opposed to the introduction of elective principle.

In fact, he severely criticised Lord Dufferin for making such a recommendation without first ascertaining the views of the Home Government.

The British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury also expressed dissatisfaction with Dufferin's suggestion for elective principle and called it a dangerous step.

The Secretary of State, therefore, invited Lord Lansdowne's fresh proposals on reforms.

Lord Lansdowne in 1889 supported the suggestions of his predecessor and recommended expansion of the Provincial Councils.

He wanted that the Councils should consist of partly elected and partly nominated members. He, however, suggested that the number of
elected members should not exceed that of nominated members

As a result of Lansdowne's proposal, the Secretary of State agreed to the expansion of Councils but he rejected the introduction of elective
principle
 1.CAc+1892
change in Legislative Guncil

Legislative Cornet (Central Legislature

heral
homas
IC Act 1892
in FC
X ↓
Executive Council change

Executive or
one
viceroy ->
INDIAN COUNCIL ACT 1892

Governar
Legislative
Council (Povincial Legislature
-
X Executive Crust.

-incial

The main object of this Act

was to increase the number of Councillors and to authorise discussion of financial statement
of the Government and asking of questions.

Changes in the Central Legislative Council

The Act provided for an increase in the number of 'Additional Members' in the
Supreme Legislative Council.

The number of Additional members in the Supreme Legislative Council was to

be not less than 10 but not more than 16,

It was now to consist of six official and ten non-official Additional members.

Four of the non-official members were to be chosen by the Legislative Councils

of Madras, Bombay, Bengal and North-West Provinces.
They were alloted

different different
When the Councils were constituted for Punjab and Burma, they returned one
#Member Postatio
Member each.
↑

Executive Council No change

One member was appointed on the recommendation of the Calcutta Chamber
of Commerce.
as Additional Member
RAL
known
LEGISLATURE Member is

↑->
-

(10 to 15)
>

->

members (6)
official
Non-official Member (10)

is
member-6
official

ori
+

Executive
Conet-6

FnahNon-official
-
More

General
viceroy/Governor aviceron o
of India minted
 It could discuss annual financial statement under certain conditions.

It could address questions to the Government on matters of public policy.

But no question could be asked without serving six days prior notice.

The President could disallow any question without assigning any reason.

Central Executive Council Central Legislative Council

Additional Member
ButIndian Become
Indian Notallowed

Changes In The Provincial Legislative Council

Like the Central Legislative Council, the number of the 'Additional

Member's in the Provincial Legislative Council was also increased.

Governar
Legislative
Council (Povincial Legislature
20)
- Additional Member (Max.

X Executive Crust.
20
um
im
ax
rM

Correct. (Additional Member)

be

Legislative
Bovincial
em

#
M
al
ion
dit

8 to 20
Ad

->

Correct. (Additional Member)

# Legislative
Psovincial
-> 8 to 20

Correct. (Additional Member)

# Legislative
Psovincial
9 official Members
6 - 1 from University 1-corporation 4 Municipalities & District Board
5- nominationed non official member
#No5
Legislative Cornet (Additional Menure

12 to 20
->

Correct. (Additional Member)

# Legislative
Bovincial
9to5
->
 provincial
Governar
Council (
Provincial Legislature
Legislative
- Additional Member

X Executive Crust.

The functions of the Provincial Legislative Councils were also enlarged.

They could interpret on matters of public interest and had right to discuss policies
of the Government of India.

Questions could be asked in the Council after giving six days' prior notice.

The President, however, had the power to disallow any question without assigning
reasons.

On financial matters, the discussion in the Provincial Legislative Council was limited
only to those branches of revenue and expenditure which were under the control of
Provincial Government.

No discussion on Central finance was permitted.

Similarly, the members were precluded from asking questions on matters which
were not within the control of local Government and on matters which were subject
of controversy between the local Government and the Governor General-in-Council
or the Secretary of State.

No discussion could take place in respect of an answer given to a question.

The most striking feature of the Councils Act of 1892 was that it cautiously introduced elective element in the Councils.

Though the framers of the Act deliberately avoided the use of the word 'election' in the Act but the provisions of the Act
contained a scheme which required that all the members of the Legislative Councils were not to be nominated by the
Government.

A certain number of them were to be non-official members nominated by the Head of the Government from amongst the
panel recommend by the local bodies, such as, Municipal Committees, District Boards, Chamber of Commerce, Zamindars
and University Senates.

The central Legislative Council was to accept the non-official members recommended by the Provincial Council of Madras,
Bombay. Bengal and North-West Province and also one representative of the Chamber of Commerce at Calcutta.

Thus, the system of indirect election was introduced by the Act of 1892 for the inclusion of non-official members in the
Legislative Councils of India.