Question

Which of the following acts introduced the system of dyarchy in the provincial administration in India?

• A. The Government of India Act of 1909
• B. The Government of India Act of 1919
• C. The Government of India Act of 1935
• D. The Government of India Act of 1947

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The Government of India Act of 1919

The Government of India Act of 1919: Dyarchy in Provinces

• The Government of India Act of 1919, also known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, marked a significant step in the constitutional development of British India.

• A key feature of this Act was the introduction of dyarchy (or dual government) in the provincial administration.

• Under dyarchy, the provincial subjects were divided into two categories: reserved and transferred.

• Reserved subjects, such as law and order, finance, and land revenue, were administered by the Governor and his Executive Council, who were not responsible to the provincial legislature.

• Transferred subjects, including education, public health, and local self-government, were administered by the Governor with the advice of ministers who were members of the provincial legislative council and responsible to it.

• This system aimed to provide a measure of popular control over the administration, albeit in a limited form.

• The Act also expanded the size and functions of the provincial legislative councils and introduced direct elections for the first time.

• Dyarchy, however, proved to be an impractical and ultimately unsuccessful experiment, leading to conflicts and paralysis in governance. It was eventually abolished by the Government of India Act of 1935.