Morley-Minto reforms, 1909
- It is one of the historic acts passed by the British parliament
- Some of its important features are:
- The legislative councils at the Centre and the provinces increased in size
- It introduced non-official majority at the provincial legislature level
- It enlarged the deliberative functions of the legislative councils at both the levels
- It provided for the first time for Indians to be associated with the executive council. SP Sinha became the law member in Viceroy’s executive council
- System of communal representation was introduced for Muslims
- Separate representations were provided for presidency corporations, chambers of commerce, universities and Zamindars
Analysis of the act
- It sowed the seed for partition in India
- It belied the expectations of self-governance that congress had sought
No meaningful representations at the central legislature level
