Features of the Act of 1909

The Act of 1909 is also known as Morley-Minto Reforms (Lord Morley was the then Secretary of State for India and Lord Minto was the then Viceroy of India).

1. By the act of 1909 considerably increased the size of the legislative councils, both Central and provincial.

The number of members in the Central Legislative Council was raised from 16 to 60.

The number of members in the provincial legislative councils was not  uniform.

2. By the Act of 1909 retained official majority in the Central Legislative Council but allowed the provincial legislative councils to have non-official majority.

3. By the Act of 1909 enlarged the deliberative functions of the legislative councils at both the levels.

For example, members were allowed to ask supplementary questions, move resolutions on the budget, and so on.

4. By the Act of 1909 provided (for the first time) for the association of Indians with the executive Councils of the Viceroy and Governors. 

Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the first Indian to join the Viceroy’s Executive Council. He was appointed as the law member.

5. By the Act of 1909 introduced a system of communal representation for Muslims by accepting the concept of ‘separate electorate’.

Under this, the Muslim

members were to be elected only by Muslim voters.

Thus, the Act of 1909 ‘legalised communalism’ and Lord Minto came to be known as the

Father of Communal Electorate.

6. By the Act of 1909 provided for the separate representation of presidency corporations, chambers of commerce, universities and zamindars.