Provincial Election and Formation of Cabinet (1937)

1. In the election held in 1937, in which two provinces was the Indian Na

In the election held in 1937, in which two provinces was the Indian National Congress not able to emerge as the single largest party?

Subscribe on YouTube
Punjab and Sind
Assam and North-West Frontier Province
Punjab and Assam
Assam and Madras
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2023
Download PDFAttempt Online
In the provincial elections held in 1937, the Indian National Congress was not able to emerge as the single largest party in Punjab and Sind.
– The 1937 elections were held in 11 provinces of British India under the Government of India Act, 1935.
– Congress won a clear majority in 5 provinces (Madras, Bihar, Orissa, Central Provinces, and United Provinces) and emerged as the single largest party in 4 others (Bombay, Bengal, Assam, and North-West Frontier Province), where it later formed coalition governments.
– In Punjab, the Unionist Party secured a clear majority.
– In Sind, no single party obtained a majority, and a coalition government was formed where Congress was not the dominant partner.
– Congress ministries were formed in a total of eight provinces initially.
– The elections demonstrated the widespread popularity of the Congress across large parts of India, though Muslim League’s performance was poor in Muslim majority provinces as well.
– The Congress ministries resigned in 1939 in protest against the British government involving India in World War II without consulting Indian leaders.

Join Our Telegram Channel

2. In the elections to the provincial legislatures in 1937 in British Ind

In the elections to the provincial legislatures in 1937 in British India

Subscribe on YouTube
  • 1. only about 10 to 12 percent of the population had the right to vote
  • 2. the untouchables had no right to vote
  • 3. the Congress won an absolute majority in five out of eleven provinces
  • 4. the Muslim League won more than 80 percent of the seats reserved for Muslims

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1, 3 and 4
1 and 4 only
1 and 3 only
2, 3 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2017
Download PDFAttempt Online
The correct answer is C) 1 and 3 only. Statements 1 and 3 correctly describe aspects of the 1937 provincial elections in British India, while statements 2 and 4 are incorrect.
– Statement 1 is correct. The Government of India Act, 1935, which governed these elections, significantly expanded the franchise compared to earlier acts, but it was still limited based on property, tax, and education qualifications. Only about 10-15% of the total population was eligible to vote.
– Statement 2 is incorrect. Untouchables (Depressed Classes) were granted voting rights. Following the Poona Pact (1932), they were given reserved seats within joint electorates. They had the right to vote.
– Statement 3 is correct. The Indian National Congress contested the elections widely and won absolute majorities in five out of eleven provinces: Madras, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bihar, and Orissa. They later formed governments in two more provinces (Bombay and NWFP).
– Statement 4 is incorrect. The Muslim League performed poorly in the 1937 elections, winning only a small percentage of the total Muslim vote and a minority of the seats reserved for Muslims across India. They did not win more than 80 percent of the seats reserved for Muslims; their share was much lower.
The 1937 elections were a significant step in the constitutional development of India, leading to the formation of provincial ministries largely by the Congress party. The limited franchise highlighted the undemocratic nature of the system, and the Muslim League’s poor performance influenced its later demand for Pakistan.

Join Our Telegram Channel
Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5