Montague Declaration (1917)

➮ A British policy was announced that aimed at the increasing association of Indians in every branch of the administration for the progressive realization of responsible Government in India as an integral part of the ‘British empire’ this came to be the August Declaration or Montague Declaration.
➮ Moderates called it ‘the Magna Carta of India’.
➮ Tilak called it ‘Morning Without the Sun’.

The Montague -Chelmsford reforms (1919)
(The Indian council Act 1919)
➮ This act came into force in 1921.
The main provisions of this Act—
➮ The Imperial Legislative Council was abolished and in its place, a bicameral legislature, composed of the Legislative Assembly and Council of State, was established.
➮ The Indian executive comprised of the Governer-General and his Executive council. The former was the head of the Executive and distributed the portfolios among the executive councilors. the Act was the introduction of “Dyarchy”, a sort of double government in the province. The provincial subjects were divided into ‘Reserved’ and ‘Transferred’ subjects.
➮ It separated, for the first time, provincial budgets from the central budget.
➮ Important departments such as Finance, Police, General Administration etc were ‘Reserved’ and were to be dealt with by the Governor and his Executive Council.
less important department called, ‘Transferred’ subject were to be dealt with by Minister chosen from the elected members of the provincial legislature.
➮ It extended the principle of communal representation by providing separate electorates for Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans.