The Government of India Act 1935 – A

Detailed Lecture
Introduction to the Government of India Act 1935

After the release and publication of Simon Commission Report when the new Labour
Government succeeded in office, it declared that the Report was not final and in order to resolve
the constitutional deadlock, the matter would finally considered after consulting representatives
of all the Indian communities. This would be done at a Round Table Conference in London.
After holding three sessions of Round Table Conference in 1930, 1931 and 1932 respectively,
their recommendations were embodied in a White Paper published in 1933, which was
considered by a Joint Select Committee of the British Parliament. The government also
constituted a committee of 20 representatives from British .India and 7 from Indian States
including 5 Muslims. The committee went in session from April 1933 to December 1934 for
deliberation and submitted its report to Parliament in the end of 1934. The Parliament debated
the report and passed a bill in February 1935, which got royal assent on July 24th 1935, and it was
enforced on April 1“ 1937 with the name of Government of India Act 1935.
Salient Features of Govt of India Act 1935

The Government of India Act 1935 contained 32 Sections 14 Parts and 10 Schedules and
consisted of 2 Major Parts. The Act introduced federal system in the centre. Its salient features
are as follows:

Creation of Two New Provinces

The Act provided for the creation of two new provinces of Sindh and Orissa. The new provinces
together with the NWFP formed the Governor provinces making 11 in all.

Introduction of Provincial Autonomy

In the provinces Diarchy was abolished. There was no Reserve Subjects and no Executive
Council in the provinces. The Council of Ministers was to administer all the provincial subjects
except in certain matters like law and orders etc. for which the government had special
responsibilities. The ministers were chosen from among the elected members of the provincial
legislature and were collectively responsible to it.

All India Federation

The India Act 1935 proposed to set up All Indian Federation comprising of the British Indian
Provinces and Princely States. The constituent units of the Federation were 11 Governor’s
provinces, 6 Chief Commissioner’s provinces and all those states that agreed to joint it. The
States were absolutely free to join or not to join the proposed Federation. At the time of joining
the Federation the ruler of the state was to execute an Instrument of Accession in favour of the
Crown. On acceptance of that Instrument, the state was become a unit of the Federation. The
ruler was however authorized to extend the functions of the federal authority in respect of his
state by executing another instrument in its internal affairs.

Division of Federal Subjects

The scheme of federation and the provincial autonomy necessitated proper division of subjects
between the centre and the provinces. The division under 1919 Act was revised and the 1935 Act
contained three lists i.e. Federal, Provincial and Concurrent Legislative Lists.

Introduction of Dyarchy at the Centre

The India Act 1935 introduced Dyarchy at the centre. The Federal Subjects were divided into
two categories, the Reserved and the Transferred. The former included defence, ecclesiastical
affairs, external affairs and administration of Tribal Areas. These were to be administered by the
Governor General with the help of executive councilors not exceeding three in number. The rest
of the subjects were Transferred ones. These were to be administered by the Governor General
with the help of a Council of Ministers, the number of which was not to exceed 10. The ministers
were 10 he responsible to Governor General and the legislature. The Governor General by his
special powers and responsibilities could dominate the ministers.

Protection of Minorities

A very significant provision was the safeguards and protective armours for the minorities. It was
argued that the minorities needed protection from the dominance of the majority community. But
the nationalists knew that the so-called provisions in the Act relating to safeguards were merely a
trick to empower the Governor General and the Governors to override the ministers and the
legislators.

Bicameral Legislature

The proposed federal legislature was bicameral body consisting of the Council of States (Upper
House) and the Federal Assembly (Lower House). The strength of the Upper House was 260 out
of which 104 nominated by the rulers were to represent the Indian States. 6 by the Governor
General and 150 were to be elected. The lower House was to consist of 375 members, out of
which 250 were to be the representatives of the British India and 125 of the Indian States. The
members from the British India were to be indirectly elected who were  composed of the
members of the Lower Houses of the Provincial Legislatures but were to be nominated by the
rulers in case of the Indian States. Its life was 5 years unless dissolved earlier by the Governor
General. 6 out of 11 provinces were given bicameral system of legislature. The Act not only
enlarged the size of legislature, it also extended the franchise i.e. the number of voters was
increased and special seats were allocated to women in legislature.

Establishment of a Federal Court

The India Act 1935 also provided for the establishment of a Federal Court to adjudicate inter-
states disputes and matters concerning the interpretation of the constitution. It was however, not
the final court of appeal. In certain cases the appeals could be made to the Privy Council in
England.

Communal and Separate Electorate

The Act not only retained the separate electorate but also enlarged its scope. The Anglo-Indians
and the Indo-Christians were also given separate electorate.

Supremacy of the British Parliament

The supremacy of the British Parliament remained intact under the government Act of India
1935. No Indian legislature whether federal or provincial was authorized to modify or amend the
constitution. The British Parliament alone was given the authority to amend it. The Indian
legislature could not best pray for a constitutional change by submitting a resolution to His
Majesty’s Government.

Burma Separation from India

Another important feature of the Act was that Burma was separated from India with effect from
April 1937. Aden was also transferred from the administrative control of the Government of
India to that of the colonial offices. Thus Aden became a Crown colony.

Abolition of the Indian Council of the Secretary of State

The Government of India Act 1935 abolished the Council of the Secretary of State for
India,which was created in 1858. The Secretary of State was to have advisers on its place. With
the introduction of the provincial autonomy the control of the Secretary of State over Transferred
Subjects was greatly diminished. His control, however, remained intact over the powers of
Governor General and Governors.