Government of India Act, 1935

Background and evolution

The Act came out of a long process: the Simon Commission report of 1930, three Round Table Conferences in London between 1930 and 1932, the Communal Award and Poona Pact of 1932, a White Paper in 1933 and the report of a Joint Select Committee of Parliament. British aims were mixed. London wanted to give Indians more responsibility in the provinces in order to draw moderate opinion away from mass agitation, while keeping firm control at the centre over defence, foreign affairs and finance.

The Congress rejected the Act as a charter of slavery, and Nehru criticised it as a machine with strong brakes and no engine. Yet the party decided to contest the provincial elections of 1937 and formed ministries in most provinces, which gave Indian politicians their first serious experience of running governments before independence.

Key features and provisions

• Federation: a proposed All-India Federation of British Indian provinces and princely states, which depended on a sufficient number of rulers joining; they did not, and the federal part never operated.
• Provincial autonomy: dyarchy in the provinces was ended; ministers responsible to elected legislatures ran all provincial subjects, though governors kept special responsibilities and discretionary powers.
• Dyarchy at the centre: reserved subjects (defence, foreign affairs, ecclesiastical affairs and tribal areas) were to stay with the Governor-General, the rest with ministers; this too never came into force.
• Bicameral legislatures: six provinces received two houses.
• Franchise: the vote was extended to roughly a tenth of the population, still on property and education qualifications.
• Separate electorates: continued and extended to depressed classes (through Poona Pact reserved seats), women and labour.
• Burma separated from India and Aden was also separated, taking effect in 1937.