The Montague Chelmsford reforms and the Rowlatt Act

Montague Chelmsford Reforms:

The Montague Chelmsford reforms were introduced in 1919. 2 groups of people rule India now through a system of diarchy. Two subjects were introduced, the Reserved subjects and the Transferred subjects

Reserved subjects were controlling law enforcement, Justice, Revenue, Trade, Power resources, defence, press and publication and religious/tribal issues

The Transferred subjects were controlling education and governance in certain areas, Public health, maintaining certain areas and other problems related to the province

Voting rights were extended so that 5.5 million people could vote, a council of princes was set up with 108 members, and the legislative assembly now had 145 members of which 103 were elected for a period of 3 years.

The Indians rejected the Montague-Chelmsford reforms

The Rowlatt Act:

The Rowlatt Act was an act passed by the imperial legislative council in the British parliament in 1919, and it was to control the unstable situation and conspiracies against the government in India, by taking emergency measures

The Rowlatt Act was quickly passed so that the situation in India could be controlled. It is also known as the Anarchical and revolutionary crime act

Under this law, the British had the ability to heavily control the press and publications, search any place without a warrant, arrest without a warrant, detain any revolutionary leader for 2 years, not give bail and publically punish or beat any revolutionist

Muhammad Ali Jinnah resigned from the imperial legislative council in protest of the Rowlatt Act and it was heavily opposed by Indians. The Rowlatt act lead to the Amritsar massacre

Notes taken in the class of Miss Caleb