Legislatures of British India

The Legislatures of British India included

Under the Indian Councils Act 1892, the legislative councils expanded to 20 members. The councils were empowered to address questions to the executive and discuss budgets without voting. The Lieutenant Governor would nominate 7 members from the recommendations of universities, city corporations, municipalities, district boards and chambers of commerce.^[1] The majority of councilors continued to be European and a minority were Indian.^[1]

The

A dyarchy is a system of shared government. In British India, the British government decided to share responsibilities with legislative councils in major provinces. As a result of

The

The award was highly controversial and criticized as a divide and rule policy.^[6] The British government opined that it wanted to avoid civil war.

Provincial autonomy (1937–1947)

The Government of India Act 1935 ended dyarchy in the provinces and increased autonomy. Six provinces were given bicameral legislatures.^[1] Elections based on separate electorates were held in 1937 and 1946, leading to the formation of provincial ministries (governments) led by a Prime Minister.

Most of the provincial governments were unstable amid the outbreak of

Legislative Councils (1861–1947)

Legislative Assemblies (1937–1947)

List of provincial prime ministers (1937–1947)

British Indian MPs in Westminster

A number of

Prior to the

Today, the federal Republic of India and its 28 states and 8 Union Territories; the federal republic of Pakistan and its four provinces and two autonomous territories; and the unitary republic of Bangladesh; all have parliamentary governments, largely derived from the Westminster system.

See also

• South Asia
• British Raj
• Imperial Legislative Council
• State Legislature of India
• List of legislatures by country

References