Bengal Legislative Council

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This article is about the Legislative Council of Bengal. For the Eastern Bengal and Assam Council, see Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council. For the lower chamber of the Bengal's legislature, see Bengal Legislative Assembly.
Bengal Legislative Council

বঙ্গীয় আইন পরিষদ
East Bengal Legislative Assembly
West Bengal Legislative Assembly
Meeting place
Calcutta, Bengal Presidency

The Bengal Legislative Council (Bengali: বঙ্গীয় আইন পরিষদ) was the legislative council of Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal).[1] It was the legislature of the Bengal Presidency during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After reforms were adopted in 1937, it served as the upper house of the Bengali legislature until the partition of India.

History

Main article: Legislatures of British India

The council was established under the

Governor of Bengal. Between 1905 and 1912, the council's geographical coverage was divided and partly delegated to the Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council. During the period of dyarchy, the council was boycotted by the Congress Party and Swaraj Party; but constitutionalists in the Bengal Provincial Muslim League continued to be active members.[2][3]

Under the Government of India Act 1935, the council became the upper chamber of the legislature of Bengal.[4]

Membership

An image from the 1860s of Government House in Calcutta, where the Legislative Council met during its first decade
The Legislative Council also met in Calcutta Town Hall

The council grew from 12 members in 1862, to 20 in 1892, 53 in 1909, 140 in 1919 and 63–65 in 1935.[5]

Act of 1861

Under the Act of 1861, the council included 12 members nominated by the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. The members included four government officials, four non-government

Anglo-Indians and four Bengali gentlemen. From 1862 to 1893, 123 persons were nominated to the council, of whom only 49 were native Indian members, 35 were members of the British Indian Association and 26 were aristocrats.[5]

Act of 1892

Under the Act of 1892, the Lieutenant Governor could nominate 7 members on the recommendation of the

district councils, the University of Calcutta and the Corporation of Calcutta.[5]

Act of 1909

Under the Act of 1909, the council had the following composition.[3]

  • Ex-officio members
    • Lieutenant Governor
    • Executive Councillors- 2
  • Nominated members
    • Officials- 17 maximum
    • Indian commerce- 1
    • Planters- 1
    • Experts- 2
    • Others- 3 minimum
  • Elected members
    • Corporation of Calcutta- 1
    • University of Calcutta- 1
    • Municipalities- 6
    • District boards- 6
    • Landholders- 5
    • Muhammadans- 4
    • Bengal Chamber of Commerce- 2
    • Calcutta Traders Association- 1

Act of 1919

Members of the Bengal Legislative Council in 1921

Under the Act of 1919, the council had 140 members. There were 92 seats assigned to general constituencies, divided into Muslim, non-Muslim, European, and Anglo-Indian sections. Another 22 seats were assigned to special electorates, namely landholders, the two universities, and commercial interests. The remaining 26 seats were filled by government nomination.[6]

Act of 1935

As the upper chamber under the Government of India Act 1935, the council had the following composition.[5]

  • General elected seats - 10
  • Muslim electorate seats - 17
  • European electorate seats - 3
  • Nominees of the Bengal Legislative Assembly- 27
  • Nominees of the Governor of Bengal- 'not less than 6 and not more than 8'.

Tenure

The legislative council was initially given a three-year tenure. It became a permanent body under the Government of India Act 1935, which required one third of its members to retire.[5]

Head of the council

The Lieutenant Governor was the ex-officio president of the council until 1909, when the council was given the right to elect its president and deputy president.[5]

References

  1. ^ The Bengal Legislative Council Manual, 1921. Calcutta: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. 1921. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
  2. ISBN 978-81-7099-010-9
    .
  3. ^ a b J. H. Broomfield (1968). Elite Conflict in a Plural Society: Twentieth-century Bengal. University of California Press. p. 38.
  4. ISBN 978-1-4008-7937-3
    .
  5. ^
    OL 30677644M
    . Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  6. ISBN 978-984-07-2523-6
    .

External links
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