Government of India Act, 1935 UPSC 2024

Government of India Act, 1935 UPSC 2024.

With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements:

1. It provided for the establishment of an All-India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces and Princely States.

2. Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only

Ans. A

Statement 1 is correct. The Government of India Act, 1935 proposed the establishment of an All-India Federation, which would comprise both the British Indian provinces and the Princely States. However, this federation never came into being due to opposition from the princely states.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The Act kept subjects like Defence and Foreign Affairs under the direct control of the Governor-General, who was appointed by the British Crown. These subjects were not under the purview of the federal legislature.

Know more about GOI Act 1935

Government of India Act 1935 was a significant piece of legislation passed by the British Parliament aimed at reforming the governance structure of British India. It was one of the last major constitutional changes before India’s independence. Here are the key features of the Act:

Federal Structure: The Act introduced a federal system of government, dividing powers between the central government and the provinces. It established a Federal Court and provided for the creation of a federation of British India and the princely states.
Provincial Autonomy: It granted substantial autonomy to the provinces, which were given greater control over their internal affairs. The provinces were empowered to have their own governments and legislatures.
Diarchy in Provinces: The Act retained the system of diarchy (dual government) in the provinces, which had been introduced by the Government of India Act 1919. This system divided government functions between elected Indian ministers and appointed British officials.
Bicameral Legislature: It established a bicameral federal legislature, consisting of the Council of State (upper house) and the Legislative Assembly (lower house). Members of the Legislative Assembly were elected through a complex system of indirect elections.
Abolition of Dyarchy at the Centre: Unlike the provincial level, the central government saw the abolition of diarchy, with more power being vested in a central executive.
Reserved Powers: Certain powers were reserved for the central government, including defense, foreign affairs, and communications, while other functions were devolved to provincial governments.
Constitutional Reforms: The Act also made provisions for the protection of minorities and certain fundamental rights, although these were limited.
Lack of Full Independence: Despite these reforms, the Act did not grant full self-government or independence to India, which continued to be under British control.

The Government of India Act 1935 was an important step towards greater self-governance, but it did not satisfy all Indian leaders’ demands for complete independence, which eventually led to further political developments and the eventual independence of India in 1947.

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Government of India Act, 1935 UPSC 2024