This was originally a talk I gave to the Rotary Club of Madras East (my first) in July 2019. Due to the lack of information on this subject, I decided I would make it into a blogpost.
In 1920, India voted for the first time. Though 1952 was the first elections in independent India, Indians first began to vote in 1920.
In the early 20th century, some elections were held for the Central Legislature for the first time. By the Morley Minto reforms of 1909, there were indirect elections by the Provinces and an Indian was introduced Into the Viceroys executive council. But ordinary citizens still did not have the vote.
But then India was involved in World War I. A lot of Indians were involved in the war, and many of them died as well, in foreign lands. The Congress supported the British. Unfortunately, the British did not acknowledge India’s contribution in the war, which had drawn heavily on India. After various Indians, and groups, like the Congress, demanded to know the British stance on India during the war, the British released the August 17, 1917 declaration: they stated that they were moving to a responsible government within the British empire.
The introduction of elections was due to the Montagu Chelmsford reforms of 1919, also known as the Government of India Act, 1919. The Act of 1909 had attempted this to a much smaller degree but failed. These reforms brought in dyarchy, a system of governance, where some matters were reserved subjects, like finance, and others were given to Indian ministries, or transferred subjects. This was seen by the British as a way by which Indians could be brought into the administration, but without the British themselves losing control of important matters, as money was still with the British. At the same time, some subjects would be dealt with by the Centre, and others by the Provinces.
According to the reforms, all those paying income tax above a certain bracket, and owning land were entitled to vote. This restricted the electorate to 1 in 250, or around 3% of the population, but it was still a change that had occurred. The Governor remained the head of each Province and the Viceroy the head of the nation, all under the King-Emperor.
Each district was like a constituency in itself, but each voted in 2 or 3 people to the Council. The voters had as many votes as the members being sent to the Council. At the same time, there were two houses in the Centre, the Legislative Assembly, with 104 elected seats, had a 3 year tenure and the Council of State, 34 members with a 5 year tenure. Women could not be elected to the Council. Madras had 5 seats in the Council, of which one was reserved for Muslims, and in the Legislative Assembly, 16, of which 2 were commerce seats and one was from the city of Madras.
Parliament was declared open by the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, (Prince Albert, the Seventh Child of Queen Victoria) on Feb 9 1921 and laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building in Delhi three days later. He had the previous year already declared the Madras Provincial Council open.
In 1920, India voted for the first time. Though 1952 was the first elections in independent India, Indians first began to vote in 1920.
In the early 20th century, some elections were held for the Central Legislature for the first time. By the Morley Minto reforms of 1909, there were indirect elections by the Provinces and an Indian was introduced Into the Viceroys executive council. But ordinary citizens still did not have the vote.
But then India was involved in World War I. A lot of Indians were involved in the war, and many of them died as well, in foreign lands. The Congress supported the British. Unfortunately, the British did not acknowledge India’s contribution in the war, which had drawn heavily on India. After various Indians, and groups, like the Congress, demanded to know the British stance on India during the war, the British released the August 17, 1917 declaration: they stated that they were moving to a responsible government within the British empire.
The introduction of elections was due to the Montagu Chelmsford reforms of 1919, also known as the Government of India Act, 1919. The Act of 1909 had attempted this to a much smaller degree but failed. These reforms brought in dyarchy, a system of governance, where some matters were reserved subjects, like finance, and others were given to Indian ministries, or transferred subjects. This was seen by the British as a way by which Indians could be brought into the administration, but without the British themselves losing control of important matters, as money was still with the British. At the same time, some subjects would be dealt with by the Centre, and others by the Provinces.
According to the reforms, all those paying income tax above a certain bracket, and owning land were entitled to vote. This restricted the electorate to 1 in 250, or around 3% of the population, but it was still a change that had occurred. The Governor remained the head of each Province and the Viceroy the head of the nation, all under the King-Emperor.
Each district was like a constituency in itself, but each voted in 2 or 3 people to the Council. The voters had as many votes as the members being sent to the Council. At the same time, there were two houses in the Centre, the Legislative Assembly, with 104 elected seats, had a 3 year tenure and the Council of State, 34 members with a 5 year tenure. Women could not be elected to the Council. Madras had 5 seats in the Council, of which one was reserved for Muslims, and in the Legislative Assembly, 16, of which 2 were commerce seats and one was from the city of Madras.
Parliament was declared open by the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, (Prince Albert, the Seventh Child of Queen Victoria) on Feb 9 1921 and laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building in Delhi three days later. He had the previous year already declared the Madras Provincial Council open.
The
Provincial Legislative Council was the body dealing with the Province. Until
1935, there was only one house for all the Provinces. From the 1937 elections,
elections were also held for a Legislative Assembly, while the Council became
an upper house. The Upper house qualified only 17000 men across the whole of
the British provinces to vote them in!
The
considerations to be a voter:
- Voters
should have paid land revenue of Rs.3000 or have property with rental
value or have taxable income.
- They
should possess previous experience in the legislative council.
- They
should be members of a university senate.
- They
should hold certain offices in the local bodies.
- They
should hold some specific titles.
The Legislative
Council in Madras had 134 members, of whom 98 were elected, and the remaining
29 were nominated. Of these 98, there was communal and constituent voting.
Madras city voted in 4 members. The non-general seats included:
However,
the Act was applicable only till 1929, and one of the clauses was that a
committee would be appointed to look into its workings.
Duke of Connaught and Stratheam in 1937. (in this video from 1921, he can be seen with Madras Governor Willingdon, 3:05-3:13, perhaps when in Madras?)
(to be continued)
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