Which of the following Acts provided for the establishment of an All-India Federation consisting of provinces and princely states as units?

The correct answer is Government of India Act, 1935.

Key Points

• The Government of India Act, 1935 provided for the establishment of an All-India Federation consisting of provinces and princely states as units.
• This Act marked a significant shift from the previous Acts by proposing a federation and granting more autonomy to Indian provinces.
• It introduced provincial autonomy and proposed a federal structure, though the federation never came into being due to the lack of agreement from the princely states.
• The Act also introduced direct elections, thereby increasing the number of Indians who could vote.
• It was the last pre-independence constitution of India and remained in effect until the Constitution of India came into force in 1950.

Additional Information

• Provincial Autonomy:
  • The Act allowed provinces to act as autonomous units of administration in their defined spheres.
  • Provincial governments were given more control over various departments and subjects.
  • Governors were now required to act on the advice of ministers responsible to the provincial legislatures.
• Federal Structure:
  • The Act proposed a federal structure with a central government and provincial governments.
  • The federation was to include both British Indian provinces and princely states.
  • However, the federation never materialized as the princely states did not join.
• Reserved and Transferred Subjects:
  • The Act divided subjects into 'Reserved' and 'Transferred' categories.
  • Reserved subjects were administered by the Governor on behalf of the Crown, while transferred subjects were administered by ministers responsible to the legislatures.
• Introduction of Direct Elections:
  • The Act expanded the electorate and introduced direct elections for the first time.
  • This increased the number of Indians eligible to vote, laying the groundwork for future democratic processes.