Notes for UPSC-IMPORTANT REFORMS/Acts

7. Reforms/Acts

Nomenclature of the Reforms/Acts	Year	During the term of	Significance
Prohibition of Sati & Female infanticide	1829	Lord William Bentick	Supported by Raja Rammohun Roy.
Doctrine of Lapse	1848	Lord Dalhousie	Adoption of sons by rulers in the absence of their natural heirs was banned.
Indian Councils Act	1861	Lord Canning	Envisaged association of Indians with the administration at higher level.
Ilbert Bill	1883	Lord Ripon	To bring Indian and European magistracy on equal footing.
Indian Councils Act	1892	Lord Lansdown	Membership of central legislative councils was enlarged.
Morely-Minto Reforms	1909	Lord Minto II	Separate electroates to widen the gulf between Hindus & Muslims.
Dyarchy	1919	L. Chelmsford	Meaning dual system of Govt.
JaIlianwala Bagh Massacre	1919	L. Chelmsford	Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar by General Dyer
Rowlatt Act	1919	L. Chelmsford	Extraordinary powers were given to suppress the freedom struggle with General Dyer as the Commandant.
Simon commission	1928	Lord Irwin	To report working of the reforms; recommended dyarchy in provinces; India to be constituted as a federation and Indianization of armed forces.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact	1931	Lord Irwin	Congress called off the agitation and agreed to participate in the Second Round Table Conference.
Communal Award	1932	Lord Willingdon	Envisaged communal representation for depressed classes besides Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.
Separate electrorates	1932	Lord Willingdon	(See Communal Award)
Government of India Act	1935	Lord Willingdon	Provided for a federal type of constitution.
Cripps Mission	1942	Lord Linlithgow	Proposed Dominion status for India after the Second World War.
INA Trial	1945	Lord Wavell	INA prisoners of war were trialed at Red Fort, Delhi and Bhulabhai Desai defended them.
Wavell Plan	1945	Lord Wavell	Envisaged constitution of executive council in such a way as to give representation to all major communities in India.
Cabinet Mission Plan	1946	Lord Wavell	Envisaged establishment of Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution.
Mountbatten Plan	1947	L. Mountbatten	Partition Plan
Indian lndependence Act	1947	L. Mountbatten	India partitioned and attained independence.