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Which of the following statements about the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms is/are correct ? 1. It was approved by King George V. 2. It made the Central Legislature bicameral. 3. The Act explicitly mentioned the appointment of three Indian members to the Council. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Explanation
The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, enacted as the Government of India Act 1919, received Royal Assent on December 23, 1919, from King George V [t7]. This act introduced significant constitutional changes, most notably making the Central Legislature bicameral, consisting of the Council of State (Upper House) and the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) [c1, t2, t4]. Furthermore, the Act mandated that three out of the six members of the Viceroy’s Executive Council (excluding the Commander-in-Chief) were to be Indians [t1, t3, t5]. This provision aimed to increase Indian participation in the executive branch of the central government. While the reforms introduced 'dyarchy' in the provinces to allow for partial responsible government, the central executive remained responsible only to the British Parliament [c1, c3]. Since all three statements regarding the Royal Assent, bicameralism, and the inclusion of three Indian members are historically accurate, option 1 is correct.
Sources
- [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_India_Act_1919
- [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 26: Constitutional, Administrative and Judicial Developments > Government of India Act, 1919 > p. 509
- [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagu%E2%80%93Chelmsford_Reforms