The Minto-Morley Reforms of 1909 were a tool of change that brought electoral reforms including separate electorates for Muslims. This was significant in the history of India's partition, as it gave constitutional recognition to Muslims and allowed them to elect their own representatives. However, tensions grew between Hindus and Muslims over time, as the Congress went back on agreements like the Lucknow Pact and deviated from providing promised political rights to minorities. By 1937, the introduction of provincial elections under separate electorates further solidified Muslim identity and pushed the movement for Pakistan.

1. name : amber memon
class:bba 1b
reg no:1211217
teachername: G. shabirjiskani
subject: Pakistanstudies
assignmentno:02
assignmenttopicname :mintomorleyreforms

2. Question: discuss that how minto Morley reforms (1909)were a “toolof
change”. Highlight the significance of “separateelectorates”in the history of
separationof India ?
Tool of change:
the Liberal Party came to power in Britain in 1906, and that changed the political atmosphere.
The Liberal Party did not want to pursue the autocratic policies of the Conservative Party. Such
political changes in Britain and as well as in India, which altered the public opinion in both
countries. Following are the salient features of Minto-Morley Reforms.
The following were the main features of the Act of 1909:
 The number of the members of the Legislative Council at the Center was increased from
16 to 60.
 The number of the members of the Provincial Legislatives was also increased. It was
fixed as 50 in the provinces of Bengal, Madras and Bombay, and for the rest of the
provinces it was 30.
 The member of the Legislative Councils, both at the Center and in the provinces, were to
be of four categories i.e. ex-officio members (Governor General and the members of their
Executive Councils), nominated official members (those nominated by the Governor
General and were government officials), nominated non-official members (nominated by
the Governor General but were not government officials) and elected members (elected
by different categories of Indian people).
 Right of separate electorate was given to the Muslims.
 At the Center, official members were to form the majority but in provinces non-official
members would be in majority.
 The members of the Legislative Councils were permitted to discuss the budgets, suggest
the amendments and even to vote on them; excluding those items that were included as
non-vote items. They were also entitled to ask supplementary questions during the
legislative proceedings.
 The Secretary of State for India was empowered to increase the number of the Executive
Councils of Madras and Bombay from two to four.
 Two Indians were nominated to the Council of the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs.
 The Governor General was empowered to nominate one Indian member to his Executive
Council.

3. Brought a constitutional package for electoral reforms:
Separate Electoratesare thattype of electionsinwhichminoritiesselecttheirownrepresentatives
separately,asopposedtoJointElectorateswhere people are selectedcollectively.Whenminoritiesfear
that theywouldnotgetrepresentationinstate affairsandgovernmentthentheydemandseparate
electorates.Same wasthe case withthe IndianMuslims.Theywere verylarge innumber,butincase of
combinedelectionstheywouldnotgetdue representation.Whenthe Britishimplementedthe system
of democracyinIndiainorderto strengththeirrule,andto involve local peopleingovernment,the
Muslimsdemandedseparateelectorates.These werenotimposedbyBritish,howeverwere grantedon
the requestof the Muslims.
Whendirectelectionswere introducedtoincrease the participationof Indiansingovernmentaffairs,a
deputationof IndianMuslimsledbySirAgaKhanpresentedanaddresstoViceroyandGovernor
General LordMinto at Simlaon 1st October1906. Theyaskedforseparate representationatall levelsof
government,districtboards,legislativecouncils,andmunicipalities.Theymentionedthattheywere
almostone-fifthandinsome areasone-fourthof the whole population.Sotheymustbe given
recognitionasan importantfactorof the state machinery.The positionsgiventothe Muslimsshouldnot
onlydependontheirnumerical strength,butalsoontheirpolitical importance andcontributionsasthey
had ruledoverIndiafora longtime.Underthe Act of 1892 inUnitedProvince,where Muslimswere
fourteenpercentof population,theyhadnotsecuredasingle seatbyjointfranchise.Andif bychance
theywouldgetanyseatstheywouldhave to agree withHindus,andthushad to go againsttheirown
interests.So,Muslimsshouldbe givenseparaterepresentationforbothlocal bodiesandlegislative
councils,throughseparate electorates.Viceroylistenedtothemandpromisedthemthattheirdemands
wouldputforwardto BritishGovernment.Withthispositiveresponse Muslimsestablishedtheirown
political partynamedasAll IndiaMuslimLeague inDecember,1906.
Separate electorates were discussed and implemented:
In 1909 the Morley-MintoReformsgrantedseparate electoratestoMuslims.Inthese the numerical
strengthof legislature councilswasincreased.27out of total 60 memberswere tobe elected and5
seatswere reservedforthe Muslims.Inprovincialgovernment,Muslimswere tobe representedby
separate electorates.Itgave constitutionalrecognitiontoMuslims.Theywouldhave notonlyelecttheir
ownrepresentatives,butalsohadrightto vote in general constituencies.Muslimswere givenfewer
share than theirnumerical strength,butthiswasaland markin the political historyof IndianMuslims.

4. Quaid-E- Azam brought two parties on one single platform in lucknow (1916):
The MuslimLeague and the CongressheldtheirmeetingsatLucknow inthe endof December1916.
Theyacceptedunanimouslyagreedreformsscheme presentedbytheirrespectivecommittees.The
Congress-Leaguescheme popularlyknownasthe Lucknow Pactpointed outthe stepsthat neededtobe
takento gainself governmentforIndia.Jinnahsupportedthe comingtogetherof the twopartiesto
coerce the governmenttogrant Indiaself-rule.
The lucknow pact was agreed but the luck was otherwise:
In 1916 LucknowPact waspassedwiththe collaborationof CongressandMuslimLeague.Congress
concededtothe legitimate rightsof Muslims.Inthispactthe rightof separate electoratesforMuslims
was recognized.ItwasdeclaredthatMuslimswouldbe givenone thirdcentral legislature seats.Andin
provincesminoritieswere tohave more seatsthantheirnumerical strength,thiswasknownasthe
Weightage System.AccordingtothissystemMuslimsgotmore representationthantheirpopulationin
minorityprovinceswhereas, inBengal andPunjabtheirrepresentationwasreducedto50% and 40%
from56% and 55% respectively.In1919 the Montague ChelmsfordReformswereintroduced.The
demandsof LucknowPact were accepted.Incentre Muslimswere givenone thirdseats.These all rights
were denied,andCongressdeviatedfromtheirownprospectiveinNehruReportin1928.
Since the Delhi Darbar 1911 to the Simon commission 1927 the relation between
two communities of India, Hindus and Muslims:
The partitionleftasignificantimpactonthe people of Bengal aswell asthe political scene of the Indian
Subcontinent.Afterthe annulmentof the partition,the peopleof EastBengal were immersedinto
disappointmentandanger.Thiseventalsocreatedasense of political awarenessamong the Muslimsof
East Bengal.To mollifythe peopleof EastBengal,LordCurzon declaredthata universityasacenterof
excellence wouldbe establishedinDacca(whichwouldlaterbe namedas Universityof Dhakaand
formeda committee inthisregardconsistingKhwajaSalimullah, A.K.Fazlul Huq andothers.The
decisionwasseverelycriticizedbysome HinduleadersinWestBengal.The mostsignificantimpactof
thiseventwasthe inceptionof communal dissonance betweenthe HindusandMuslimsof Bengal.

5. Round table conferences were held but the tables were turned:
The Indian political situation seemed deadlocked. The British government refused to
contemplate any form of self-government for the people of India. This caused frustration
amongst the masses, who often expressed their anger in violent clashes.
The Labor Government returned to power in Britain in 1931, and a glimmer of hope ran through
Indian hearts. Labor leaders had always been sympathetic to the Indian cause. The government
decided to hold a Round Table Conference in London to consider new constitutional reforms. All
Indian politicians; Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians were summoned to London for the
conference.
Gandhi immediately insisted at the conference that he alone spoke for all Indians, and that the
Congress was the party of the people of India.
Ultimately, the government of India Act-1935 was introduced and implemented
and general elections were conducted in India in 1937 on the basis of separate
electorates:
In thisjourneyof almost40 years,many demandswere presented,manypactswere introduced,and
manyresolutionswere passed.Allhadtheirownimportance butthe rightof separate electorateswasa
landmark for the Muslims.Theyall revolvedaroundthisdemandof separate electorates.Acceptance of
thisdemandwasa sign of recognizingthemasa separate nation.Theywere treatedasa minoritybefore
it.Nowtheyhad share in governmentatCentral andprovincial levelsboth.Beyondthatthese Separate
Electoratesledthem towardsseparate homelandnamedasPakistan.

6. Congress won the elections and started their atrocities against the Muslims on
the reaction of congress attitude, the ministries were dissolved in 1939:
The Government of India Act, 1935 was formulated after long deliberations but was
not fully promulgated but the only provincial part was introduced in the country, the
central part was not introduced. The British government planned on it and then the
British parliament passed this law and then the king signed this law and this became
the government of India Act of 1935, under which these elections were held. The
Muslim League criticized this law for a number of reasons and the same was the case
with the Congress party but agreed to contest provincial elections to make advantage
of the opportunities being provided under the government of India Act.
Whencongresswonthe electionstheystartedviolence againstMuslimsandwhenministriesreactedon
thisissue the ministrieswere dissolved.