The Government of India Act 1935 was one of the important positive outcomes of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
The key features of the Act
The Act provided Provincial autonomy and abolished Diarchy in Provinces.
Diarchy that was in operation in provinces was now extended to the central government.
The Act provided for an all India Federation with 11 provinces, 6 Chief commissioner’s provinces and Princely States which wished to join the federation.
All transferred subjects came the control of Indian ministers.
The franchise, based on property, was extended though only about ten percent of the population enjoyed the right to vote.
By this Act Burma was separated from India.
First Congress Ministries
Congress Ministries and their Work
The Government of India Act 1935 was implemented with the announcement of elections in 1937.
The Congress called off its programme of boycott of legislature and contested elections.
It emerged victorious in seven out of the eleven provinces.
It formed ministries in 8 provinces – Madras, Bombay, Central Provinces, Orissa, Bihar, and United Provinces, North West Frontier Province.
The Muslim League succeeded in winning only 4.8 percent of the Muslim votes.
The Congress had emerged as a mass secular party.
In Assam it formed a coalition government with Assam Valley Muslim Party led by Sir Muhammad Sadullah.
Jinnah exploited the emotional campaign of ‘Islam in danger’ to gain mass Muslim support.
Activities of Congress
The salary of the ministers was reduced from Rs.2000 to Rs.500.
They repealed the Acts which vested emergency powers in the government.
Removed the restrictions on the nationalist press.
Temple entry legislation was passed.
Police powers were curbed and reporting by CID on political speeches discontinued.
