India’s Council Act 1892: Demand v/s Provisions

In the previous post, we have read about the phase of Moderates of the Indian National Congress. The main contribution of the Moderates was that they provided a platform to the masses to discuss their troubles. So, that they can go for the solution.

So, one of the achievements of the Moderate leaders was the demand for expansion of the Legislature. Therefore, India’s Council Act 1892 came into the scene. Let us discuss the provisions of the act.

India’s Council Act

Demand v/s Provisions

Expansion of Legislature

The demand of the Moderate leaders or the Indians was to expand the legislature. So, India’s Council Act 1892 though expanded the legislature still legislature had the maximum number of nominated people.

Election of Legislature

There was a demand of the elected legislature. Though the demand was fulfilled by the government. But it was the beginning of an unofficial election in India. Because the word election was not used in this act. Only the people of the municipality, District Boards were having voting rights.

The local bodies were financially dependent on the government. So, member of local bodies was to be titled towards government representatives but governments opinion was that the step was to preach the principle of election to the people.

Power to the Legislature

India’s Council Act 1892 also gave power to the legislature to participate in the discussion of the legislature. Member of Legislature could ask questions but here also certain limitations were present. The limitation was members could not ask supplementary questions.

So, in this sense, India’s Council Act 1892, was a step ahead in comparison to previous acts. But it failed to satisfy Indians. Moderates called this act as Mirage. Therefore after the 1890s, a situation once again became critical to the British Empire, as,

• Organized Nationalism started turning towards extremism.
• Expansion of New Industrialised Nations. For example, the Railway project of Kaiser William-II from Berlin to Baghdad irritated the Britishers.

So, again to handle the crisis, one of the important men of Modern Indian History deputed to India. It was Lord Curzon. About his policies, we shall read in the next coming post.

Thank you so much. 🙂 Stay Connected. 🙂