Britishers in the name of rule of law tried to bring various charters and statues to govern India. These acts outlined the political set up and how British India is going to Govern. In this series GOI, Act 1909 was passed which is also called Morely- minto reform. ( Morley -secretary and Minto- Viceroy). The salient feature are:
- System of separate electorate was started in this act. Muslim will vote for muslim candidate in the constituency. It was the extension of divide and rule policy.
- It provided for the association of Indians with the executive council for the first time.
- Size of the legislative council was increased at both the levels i.e. centre and state. (from 16 to 60) . Now function of legislative council was increased. Members were allowed to ask supplementary questions, move resolutions on the budget and so on.
- It retained the official majority in the centre but this act allowed to have non official majority in the province.
The Minto-Morley Reforms of 19O9 could not come up to the expectations of the Indians. What the people of India demanded was that there should be set up a responsible government in the country. But the sacred heart of the reforms of 1909 was “benevolent despotism” and it was basically a subtle attempt to create a “constitutional autocracy”.
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