Consider the following statements :
1. The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 recommended granting voting rights to all women above the age of 21.
2. The Government of India Act of 1935 gave women reserved seats in the legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Civil Services Exam (Prelims) General Studies Official Paper-I (Held On: 10 Oct 2021)

Answer 1

The correct answer is 2 only.

Key Point

The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, implemented through the Government of India Act of 1919, introduced limited franchise for women, but did not grant voting rights to all women above the age of 21.
- Voting rights for women were very restricted and limited to certain categories of women, such as those with property qualifications or members of special interest groups (like graduates).
- Universal adult franchise was not even discussed at that stage in colonial India, as the reforms were limited and aimed at giving Indians limited participation in governance. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
The Government of India Act, 1935 expanded the electoral participation of women and provided reserved seats for them in the provincial legislatures.
- While universal franchise was still not granted, the act allowed a larger number of women to vote compared to the 1919 reforms and allocated a specific number of reserved seats for women in provincial legislatures.Hence statement 2 is correct.