Page 25 - Leap of Faith Vol - 2

Long Road to Democracy Chapter 1

ancient democracy in at least four respects. Firstly, it
functions through representation by means of secret
ballots, rather through direct participation. Secondly, it
works concurrently at local, provincial and national levels
(Municipality/Panchayat, State Legislature, and
Parliament). Thirdly, it involves a vigorous political life
outside the representative bodies aimed at influencing
public opinion. Lastly, it has developed free, fair and
regular elections as a specialised institution.

The demand for elections to the legislatures antedated the
demand for independence of India. Whereas the official
resolution for Purna Swaraj or Independence was adopted
at Lahore session of Indian National Congress in 1929, The Assembly Hall in Fort St. George (Madras), 1911
resolution to the effect of having elected members in the
Governor General's Council and provincial legislative Rajendralala Mitra (1822-1891), the famous Indologist
councils was adopted at the first session of the Congress at and political activist, described the bulk of nominated
Bombay (1885). The resolution was repeated in the annual members as aap ke wasteys (voting with the chairman),
dummies and heaps of millinery who were just not
sessions of 1886, 1887, 1888, 1892, 1893 and 1894.
wanted. While Mitra made these remarks from the
The elective principle proposed was not universal adult platform of Calcutta Congress (1886), Surendranath
suffrage. It was not until after World War I that equal and Banerjea (1848-1925) condemned the very composition
universal adult suffrage became a feature in the new of the councils during his lecture tour of England in 1890.
constitutions in the West. A resolution of Calcutta
Governor General Lord Dufferin was of the opinion that
Congress (1886) explains what it was- “The right to elect
“India is not a country in which the machinery of
members to the Provincial Councils to be conferred only
European democratic agitation can be applied with
to those classes and members of the community, prima
impunity” (1886). Yet, he was in favour of “the
facie capable of exercising it wisely and independently”.
experiment of liberalising, if not supreme, at least the
subordinate Legislative Councils” to meet the legitimate
The Indian Councils Act, 1861 allowed Indian subjects to
aspiration of the educated section of Indian people to
be nominated into the Governor General's Council
take a larger part in their own domestic affairs.”
and provincial councils. The effective criterion for
nomination was loyalty towards the government. Dufferin's gradualist policy led to enactment of the Indian
Therefore, the Indian members that the councils Councils Act, 1892. The Act promulgated during the
admitted hardly represented Indian aspirations. This Viceroyalty of Lord Lansdowne (Vide its Section 1)
manner of filling the seats in the councils was resented by increased the number of additional members a) from 10
the political activists. to 16 in Governor General's Council and b) between eight

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