The Central Legislature in British India, 1921–47 : Parliamentary Experiences Under the Raj

__The Central Legislature in British India 1921–47__: __Parliamentary Experiences Under the Raj__ isan exceptional exposé of Colonial India’s highest legislative body. With its wealth of materials and in-depth description of the former Indian Legislature’s actual working, its political milieu and its institutional development, this book belongsto the larger genre of the British Indian narratives on the constitutional encounters between the rulers and the ruled. This book touches on a critical range of areas essential to our understanding of the British Raj in India. This book adds a significant depth to a neglected quarter of historicalknowledge―the chronicleof parliamentary experiences and the representative institution-building in Colonial India. Undeniably, the Central Legislature was the only acknowledged all-India forum where the Indian legislators and the Imperial Executive, time and again,ran into each other.Yet, even at the lowest ebb of the Indian lawmakers’ disillusionment, the two flanks, intermittently, showed a modicum of mutual respect: though limited, the two sides indirectly shared power,went through the motion and contributed to policy-making typically over a strip of non-controversial subjects. Cover 1 Contents 11 List of Tables 13 Foreword 15 Preface 17 Preface to the First Edition (1965) 27 Acknowledgements for the Second Edition 31 List of Abbreviations 33 Chapter I. Development of the Central Legislature From 1861 to 1920 35 Chapter II. The Central Legislature and Indian Politics, 1921 to 1947 47 Chapter III. Nature of the Electoral System and Elections 67 Chapter IV. Powers, Privileges, and Procedures in the Central Legislature 99 Chapter V. The Composition and Political Groupings of the Two Houses 119 Chapter VI. The Legislative Influence on Administration 155 Chapter VII. Legislation With Special Reference to the Influence of Non-Official Members 179 Chapter VIII. Financial Procedure in the Central Legislature 199 Chapter IX. Political Grievances in the Central Legislature 235 Chapter X. Relations Between the Two Chambers 257 Chapter XI. Conclusion 269 Appendices 281 Appendix I. Certain Provisions of the Government of India Act, 1919, Relating to the Indian Central Legislature Are Reproduced for Reference 283 Appendix II. A Statement Showing the Actual Number of Days on Which the Assembly Sat and the Days on Which Non-Official Business Was Transacted 291 Appendix III. Table Showing the Strength of the Major Political Parties/Groups in the Legislative Assembly From 1921 to 1947 295 Appendix IV. List of Voting Divisions Held in the Legislative Assembly From 1921 to 1947 297 Bibliography 301 Index 309

The Central Legislature in British India 1921–47: Parliamentary Experiences Under the Raj is an exceptional exposé of Colonial India’s highest legislative body. With its wealth of materials and in-depth description of the former Indian Legislature’s actual working, its political milieu and its institutional development, this book belongs to the larger genre of the British Indian narratives on the constitutional encounters between the rulers and the ruled. This book touches on a critical range of areas essential to our understanding of the British Raj in India. This book adds a significant depth to a neglected quarter of historical knowledge—the chronicle of parliamentary experiences and the representative institution-building in Colonial India. Undeniably, the Central Legislature was the only acknowledged all-India forum where the Indian legislators and the Imperial Executive, time and again, ran into each other. Yet, even at the lowest ebb of the Indian lawmakers’ disillusionment, the two flanks, intermittently, showed a modicum of mutual respect: though limited, the two sides indirectly shared power, went through the motion and contributed to policy-making typically over a strip of non-controversial subjects.

"The Central Legislature in British India 1921-47: Parliamentary Experiences under the Raj, is an exceptional exposé of Colonial India's highest legislative body. With its wealth of materials and in-depth description of the former Indian Legislature's actual working, its political milieu and its institutional development, this book belongs to the larger genre of the British Indian narratives on the constitutional encounters between the rulers and the ruled. This book touches on a critical range of areas essential to our understanding of the British Raj in India. This book adds a significant depth to a neglected quarter of historical knowledge--the chronicle of parliamentary experiences and the representative institution-building in Colonial India. Undeniably, the Central Legislature was the only acknowledged all-India forum where the Indian legislators and the Imperial Executive, time and again, ran into each other. Yet, even at the lowest ebb of the Indian lawmakers' disillusionment, the two flanks, intermittently, showed a modicum of mutual respect: though limited, the two sides indirectly shared power, went through the motion and contributed to policy-making typically over a strip of non-controversial subjects"-- Provided by publisher This book explores the constitutional encounters between the rulers and the ruled in Colonial India's highest legislative body.