Question

About which Act, Jawaharlal Nehru had said, "We were provided with a car with all brakes and no engine" ?
1. Act of 1858
2. Act of 1909
3. Act of 1919
4. Act of 1935
5. None of the above/More than one of the above

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : Act of 1935

The correct answer is Act of 1935.

• Government of India Act 1935
  • This Act divided powers between the centre and the provinces.
  • There were three lists which gave the subjects under each government.
  • A bicameral federal legislature would be established.
  • A federal court was established at Delhi for the resolution of disputes between provinces and also between the centre and the provinces.
  • The Indian Council was abolished.
  • This Act introduced direct elections in India for the first time.
  • The British Parliament retained its supremacy over the Indian legislatures both provincial and federal.
• The Simon commission had promised ‘Dominion Status’ for India in 1929, but the Government of India Act 1935 did not confer it.
• This act by providing separate electorates for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Europeans, Anglo Indians, Indian Christians etc. proved to be an instrument of disintegrating the unity fabric of the country.
• Jawaharlal Nehru said that the Act of 1935 provided 'a machine with strong brakes but no engine'.

• Government of India Act 1858
  • Indian territories of Britain were to be governed in the name of the British Queen.
  • The Court of Directors and the Board of Control were scrapped.
  • This act ended the doctrine of lapse.
• Indian Councils Act 1909
  • The legislative councils at the Centre and the provinces increased in size.
  • The elected members were elected indirectly.
  • Indians were given membership to the Imperial Legislative Council for the first time.
  • It introduced separate electorates for the Muslims. Some constituencies were earmarked for Muslims and only Muslims could vote their representatives.
  • Lord Minto appointed (on much persuasion by Morley) Satyendra P Sinha as the first Indian member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council.
• Government of India Act 1919
  • Dyarchy was introduced.
  • The subjects were divided into two lists - reserved and transferred.
  • The Secretary of State and the Governor-General could interfere in matters under the reserved list but this interference was restricted for the transferred list.
  • The size of the provincial legislative assemblies was increased. Now about 70% of the members were elected.