The elections to the two houses of legislatures of the
Bombay Presidency were held in 1937, as part of the nationwide
provincial elections in
British India. The
Indian National Congress was the single largest party by winning 86 of 175 seats in the Legislative Assembly and 13 of 60 seats in the Legislative Council.
The Congress Government that was formed after the elections under
B. G. Kher lasted till October 1939, when it resigned protesting India's involvement in the
Second World War. The next election was held in 1946.
Government of India Act of 1935
The
Government of India Act of 1935 abolished dyarchy and ensured provincial autonomy. It created a
bicameral legislature in the Bombay province. The Legislature consisted of the Governor and two Legislative bodies - a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council. The Assembly consisted of 175 members who were further classified into General seats and those reserved for special communities and interests. The Legislative Council consisted of 60 members. It was a permanent body not subject to dissolution by the Gover
The Act provided for a limited adult franchise based on property qualifications.[1]
Results
The Congress contested 110 out of the total 175 seats in the assembly out of which 97 were general constituencies. For the council, it contested 15 out of the 26 seats where elections took place.
In the assembly, 15 seats were reserved for the Scheduled Castes. Out of these, Congress Party secured one seat unopposed and contested 8 seats out of which it won 5.[2]
Legislative Assembly
Party wise break up of seats in the Bombay Legislative Assembly:[3]
Bombay:
Khurshed Nariman (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)),
S. K. Patil (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)), Nagindas Tribhuvandas Master (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)),
B. R. Ambedkar (Bombay City (Byculla & Parel) General Urban), Dr. Manchersha Dhanjibhoy Gilder (Bombay City (Byculla & Parel) General Urban),
B.G. Kher (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District), Dattatraya Wandrekar (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District), Savlaram Gundaji Songavkar (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District),
Broach: Chhotalal Balkrishna Purani (Broach Sub-division, General Rural)
Urban: Husein Aboobaker Baig Mohamed (Bombay City South, Muhammadan Urban), Mohamedally Allabux (Bombay City South, Urban), Mahmad Yasin Nurie (Ahmedabad City, Urban),
Ali Muhammad Khan Dehlavi (Surat and Rander Cities, Urban)
Rural:
Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar (Ahmedabad District, Rural), Mahomedbawa Madhubawa Patel (Ahmednagar District), Abdulmajeed Abdulkhadar Gheewale (Belgaum District), Allisa Nabisa Ilkal (Bijapur District, Muhammadan Rural), Khalilulla Abasheb Janvekar (Bijapur District), Ali Bahadur Bahadur Khan (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District Urban Muhammadan Rural), Mahomed Musa Killedar (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District), Asmal Musa Abhram (Broach Sub-division, Muhammadan Rural), Musaji Eusufji Patel (Broach Sub-division), Sardar Mahaboobali Khan Akbarkhan Savanur (Dharwar District, Muhammadan Rural), Abdul Karim Aminsab Hanagi (Dharwar District), Khan Saheb Faiz Mahamadkhan Mahobatkhan (Kaira District, Muhammadan Rural), Ismail Hassan Bapu Shiddika (Kanara District, Muhammadan Rural), Ismail Hasan Siddiqui (Kanara District), Shaikh Mohamad Hasan (East Khandesh District, Muhammadan Rural), Mohemed Suleman Cassum Mitha (East Khandesh District), Shaikh Mohamad Hasan (East Khandesh District), Mohsin Mohamed A. Bhaiji (Kolaba District), Khwaja Bashiruddin Khwaja Moinuddin Kazi (West Khandesh District, Muhammadan Rural),
Fazal Ibrahim Rahimtoola (Kolaba District, Muhammadan Rural), Abdul Rahim Baboo Hakeem (Nasik District), Abdulla Haji Isa Bhagat (Panch Mahals Sub-division), Khan Bahadur Shaikh Jan Mahomed Haj Shaikh Kalla (Poona District, Muhammadan Rural), Aziz Gofur Kazi (Ratnagiri District, Muhammadan Rural), Haji Ahmad Kasam Kachhi (Satara District), Yusuf Abdulla (Satara District), Abdul Latif Haji Hajrat Khan (Solapur District, Muhammadan Rural), Ahmed Ebrahim Singapori (Surat District), Sardar Haji Amirsaheb Mohiddin Saheb Rais (Thana District, Muhammadan Rural)
Women (6): Annapurna Gopal Deshmukh (Bombay City (Girgaum), Women's General Urban),
Lilavati Kanaiyalal Munshi (Bombay City (Bhuleshwar), Women's General Urban), Salima Faiz B. Tyabji (Bombay City (Girgaum), Women's Muhammadan Urban), Laxmibai Ganesh Thuse (Poona City, Women's General Urban), Vijayagauri Balvantrai Kanuga (Ahmedabad City, General Urban), Nagamma Veerangouda Patil (Dharwar Women's General Rural)
Commerce & Industry: Sir John Abercombie (Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Bombay Presidency Trades Association), J. B. Greaves (Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Bombay Presidency Trades Association), Donald Hill (Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Bombay Presidency Trades Association), Sakarlal Balabhai (Ahmedabad Millowners' Association, Commerce & Industry), Sorabji Dorabji Saklatvala (Bombay Millowners' Association, Commerce & Industry), Bhawanji Khimji (East India Cotton Association), M. C. Ghia (Indian Merchants' Chamber)
Labour (7):
Gulzarilal Nanda (Ahmedabad Textile Unions), Khondubhai Kasanji Desai (Ahmedabad Textile Unions), Jamnadas Mehta (Railway Unions), Shavaksha Hormusji Jhabvala (Railway Unions), Dadasaheb Khaserao Jagtap (Bombay City & Suburban Textile Unions), Ramchandra Amraji Khedgikar (Solapur City (Textile Labour), Labour), Akhtar Hasan Mirza (Trade Unions of Seamen and Dockworkers)
European (3): W. W. Russell (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, European), Francis Holroy French (Presidency), David Watson (Presidency), Cyril Frederick Golding
Indian Christian (3): Dr. Joseph Altino Collaco (Bombay City, Urban), Dominic Joseph Ferreira (Thana cum Bombay Suburban District), Bhaskarrao Bhaurao Chakranarayan (Poona cum Ahmednagar, Rural)
Anglo-Indian (2):
Stanley Henry Prater (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District), Fred J. Currion (Presidency)
Landholders: Sardar Narayanrao Ganpatrao Vinchoorkar (Deccan Sardars and Inamdars),
Girjaprasad Chinubhai Madhavlal (Gujarat Sardars and Inamdars)
Legislative Council
Party wise break up of seats in the Bombay Legislative Council:
General (20): Dadubhai Purshotamdas Desai (Ahmedabad cum Kaira, General Rural), Chinubhai Lallubhai Mehta (Ahmedabad cum Kaira, General Rural), Behram Naoroji Karanjia (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, General Urban), Ratilal Munji Gandhi (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, General Urban), Prof. Sohrab Davar (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District),
Hansa Jivraj Mehta (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, General Rural),
Mangal Das Pakvasa (Broach and Panch Mahals cum Surat, General Rural), Shantilal Harjiwan Shah (Broach and Panch Mahals cum Surat, General Rural), Narsingrao Shriniwasrao Desai (Dharwar cum Kanara, General Rural), Subray Ramchandra Haldipur (Dharwar cum Kanara, General Rural), Mahadeo Bajajee Virkar (Kolaba cum Ratnagiri, General Rural), Madhavrao Gopalrao Bhosle (East Khandesh cum West Khandesh, General Rural), Premraj Shaligram Marwadi (East Khandesh cum West Khandesh, General Rural), Atmaram Mahadeo Atawane (Kolaba cum Ratnagiri, General Rural), Dr. Ganesh Sakharam Mahajani (Poona cum Satara, General Rural), Ramchandra Ganesh Soman (Poona cum Satara, General Rural), Chandrappa Baswantrao Desai (Solapur cum Belgaum cum Bijapur, General Rural), Bheemji Balaji Potdar (Solapur cum Belgaum cum Bijapur, General Rural), Narayan Damodhar Deodhekar (Thana cum Nasik cum Ahmednagar, General Rural), Ramchandra Ganesh Pradhan (Thana cum Nasik cum Ahmednagar, General Rural),
Muhammadan (5):
Fazalbhoy Currimbhoy (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, Muhammadan Rural), K. A. Hamied (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, Muhammadan Rural), Khan Sahab Abdul Kadir Abdul Aziz Khan (Central Division, Muhammadan Rural), Khan Sahab Mahomed Makan (Northern Division, Muhammadan Rural), Mahomed Amin Wazee Mohomad Tambe (Southern Division, Muhammadan Rural)
European (1): Frederick Stones (Presidency, European)
Nominated (3): Terence Martin Guido, S. C. Joshi, Dr. Purushottambhai Solanki, Major Sardar Bhimrao Nagojirao Patankar
Government formation
Although the
Indian National Congress won the elections, the party declined to form the government. The Governor
Sir George Lloyd invited Sir Dhanjishah Cooper (independent member from Satara North constituency[5] ), to form an interim ministry. The Cooper ministry did not last long and a Congress ministry under
B. G. Kher was sworn.
References
^nor and one-third of its members retired every three years.
Low, David Anthony (1993).
Eclipse of empire. Cambridge University Press. p. 154.
ISBN0-521-45754-8.
The elections to the two houses of legislatures of the
Bombay Presidency were held in 1937, as part of the nationwide
provincial elections in
British India. The
Indian National Congress was the single largest party by winning 86 of 175 seats in the Legislative Assembly and 13 of 60 seats in the Legislative Council.
The Congress Government that was formed after the elections under
B. G. Kher lasted till October 1939, when it resigned protesting India's involvement in the
Second World War. The next election was held in 1946.
Government of India Act of 1935
The
Government of India Act of 1935 abolished dyarchy and ensured provincial autonomy. It created a
bicameral legislature in the Bombay province. The Legislature consisted of the Governor and two Legislative bodies - a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council. The Assembly consisted of 175 members who were further classified into General seats and those reserved for special communities and interests. The Legislative Council consisted of 60 members. It was a permanent body not subject to dissolution by the Gover
The Act provided for a limited adult franchise based on property qualifications.[1]
Results
The Congress contested 110 out of the total 175 seats in the assembly out of which 97 were general constituencies. For the council, it contested 15 out of the 26 seats where elections took place.
In the assembly, 15 seats were reserved for the Scheduled Castes. Out of these, Congress Party secured one seat unopposed and contested 8 seats out of which it won 5.[2]
Legislative Assembly
Party wise break up of seats in the Bombay Legislative Assembly:[3]
Bombay:
Khurshed Nariman (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)),
S. K. Patil (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)), Nagindas Tribhuvandas Master (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)),
B. R. Ambedkar (Bombay City (Byculla & Parel) General Urban), Dr. Manchersha Dhanjibhoy Gilder (Bombay City (Byculla & Parel) General Urban),
B.G. Kher (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District), Dattatraya Wandrekar (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District), Savlaram Gundaji Songavkar (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District),
Broach: Chhotalal Balkrishna Purani (Broach Sub-division, General Rural)
Urban: Husein Aboobaker Baig Mohamed (Bombay City South, Muhammadan Urban), Mohamedally Allabux (Bombay City South, Urban), Mahmad Yasin Nurie (Ahmedabad City, Urban),
Ali Muhammad Khan Dehlavi (Surat and Rander Cities, Urban)
Rural:
Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar (Ahmedabad District, Rural), Mahomedbawa Madhubawa Patel (Ahmednagar District), Abdulmajeed Abdulkhadar Gheewale (Belgaum District), Allisa Nabisa Ilkal (Bijapur District, Muhammadan Rural), Khalilulla Abasheb Janvekar (Bijapur District), Ali Bahadur Bahadur Khan (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District Urban Muhammadan Rural), Mahomed Musa Killedar (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District), Asmal Musa Abhram (Broach Sub-division, Muhammadan Rural), Musaji Eusufji Patel (Broach Sub-division), Sardar Mahaboobali Khan Akbarkhan Savanur (Dharwar District, Muhammadan Rural), Abdul Karim Aminsab Hanagi (Dharwar District), Khan Saheb Faiz Mahamadkhan Mahobatkhan (Kaira District, Muhammadan Rural), Ismail Hassan Bapu Shiddika (Kanara District, Muhammadan Rural), Ismail Hasan Siddiqui (Kanara District), Shaikh Mohamad Hasan (East Khandesh District, Muhammadan Rural), Mohemed Suleman Cassum Mitha (East Khandesh District), Shaikh Mohamad Hasan (East Khandesh District), Mohsin Mohamed A. Bhaiji (Kolaba District), Khwaja Bashiruddin Khwaja Moinuddin Kazi (West Khandesh District, Muhammadan Rural),
Fazal Ibrahim Rahimtoola (Kolaba District, Muhammadan Rural), Abdul Rahim Baboo Hakeem (Nasik District), Abdulla Haji Isa Bhagat (Panch Mahals Sub-division), Khan Bahadur Shaikh Jan Mahomed Haj Shaikh Kalla (Poona District, Muhammadan Rural), Aziz Gofur Kazi (Ratnagiri District, Muhammadan Rural), Haji Ahmad Kasam Kachhi (Satara District), Yusuf Abdulla (Satara District), Abdul Latif Haji Hajrat Khan (Solapur District, Muhammadan Rural), Ahmed Ebrahim Singapori (Surat District), Sardar Haji Amirsaheb Mohiddin Saheb Rais (Thana District, Muhammadan Rural)
Women (6): Annapurna Gopal Deshmukh (Bombay City (Girgaum), Women's General Urban),
Lilavati Kanaiyalal Munshi (Bombay City (Bhuleshwar), Women's General Urban), Salima Faiz B. Tyabji (Bombay City (Girgaum), Women's Muhammadan Urban), Laxmibai Ganesh Thuse (Poona City, Women's General Urban), Vijayagauri Balvantrai Kanuga (Ahmedabad City, General Urban), Nagamma Veerangouda Patil (Dharwar Women's General Rural)
Commerce & Industry: Sir John Abercombie (Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Bombay Presidency Trades Association), J. B. Greaves (Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Bombay Presidency Trades Association), Donald Hill (Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Bombay Presidency Trades Association), Sakarlal Balabhai (Ahmedabad Millowners' Association, Commerce & Industry), Sorabji Dorabji Saklatvala (Bombay Millowners' Association, Commerce & Industry), Bhawanji Khimji (East India Cotton Association), M. C. Ghia (Indian Merchants' Chamber)
Labour (7):
Gulzarilal Nanda (Ahmedabad Textile Unions), Khondubhai Kasanji Desai (Ahmedabad Textile Unions), Jamnadas Mehta (Railway Unions), Shavaksha Hormusji Jhabvala (Railway Unions), Dadasaheb Khaserao Jagtap (Bombay City & Suburban Textile Unions), Ramchandra Amraji Khedgikar (Solapur City (Textile Labour), Labour), Akhtar Hasan Mirza (Trade Unions of Seamen and Dockworkers)
European (3): W. W. Russell (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, European), Francis Holroy French (Presidency), David Watson (Presidency), Cyril Frederick Golding
Indian Christian (3): Dr. Joseph Altino Collaco (Bombay City, Urban), Dominic Joseph Ferreira (Thana cum Bombay Suburban District), Bhaskarrao Bhaurao Chakranarayan (Poona cum Ahmednagar, Rural)
Anglo-Indian (2):
Stanley Henry Prater (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District), Fred J. Currion (Presidency)
Landholders: Sardar Narayanrao Ganpatrao Vinchoorkar (Deccan Sardars and Inamdars),
Girjaprasad Chinubhai Madhavlal (Gujarat Sardars and Inamdars)
Legislative Council
Party wise break up of seats in the Bombay Legislative Council:
General (20): Dadubhai Purshotamdas Desai (Ahmedabad cum Kaira, General Rural), Chinubhai Lallubhai Mehta (Ahmedabad cum Kaira, General Rural), Behram Naoroji Karanjia (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, General Urban), Ratilal Munji Gandhi (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, General Urban), Prof. Sohrab Davar (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District),
Hansa Jivraj Mehta (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, General Rural),
Mangal Das Pakvasa (Broach and Panch Mahals cum Surat, General Rural), Shantilal Harjiwan Shah (Broach and Panch Mahals cum Surat, General Rural), Narsingrao Shriniwasrao Desai (Dharwar cum Kanara, General Rural), Subray Ramchandra Haldipur (Dharwar cum Kanara, General Rural), Mahadeo Bajajee Virkar (Kolaba cum Ratnagiri, General Rural), Madhavrao Gopalrao Bhosle (East Khandesh cum West Khandesh, General Rural), Premraj Shaligram Marwadi (East Khandesh cum West Khandesh, General Rural), Atmaram Mahadeo Atawane (Kolaba cum Ratnagiri, General Rural), Dr. Ganesh Sakharam Mahajani (Poona cum Satara, General Rural), Ramchandra Ganesh Soman (Poona cum Satara, General Rural), Chandrappa Baswantrao Desai (Solapur cum Belgaum cum Bijapur, General Rural), Bheemji Balaji Potdar (Solapur cum Belgaum cum Bijapur, General Rural), Narayan Damodhar Deodhekar (Thana cum Nasik cum Ahmednagar, General Rural), Ramchandra Ganesh Pradhan (Thana cum Nasik cum Ahmednagar, General Rural),
Muhammadan (5):
Fazalbhoy Currimbhoy (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, Muhammadan Rural), K. A. Hamied (Bombay City cum Bombay Suburban District, Muhammadan Rural), Khan Sahab Abdul Kadir Abdul Aziz Khan (Central Division, Muhammadan Rural), Khan Sahab Mahomed Makan (Northern Division, Muhammadan Rural), Mahomed Amin Wazee Mohomad Tambe (Southern Division, Muhammadan Rural)
European (1): Frederick Stones (Presidency, European)
Nominated (3): Terence Martin Guido, S. C. Joshi, Dr. Purushottambhai Solanki, Major Sardar Bhimrao Nagojirao Patankar
Government formation
Although the
Indian National Congress won the elections, the party declined to form the government. The Governor
Sir George Lloyd invited Sir Dhanjishah Cooper (independent member from Satara North constituency[5] ), to form an interim ministry. The Cooper ministry did not last long and a Congress ministry under
B. G. Kher was sworn.
References
^nor and one-third of its members retired every three years.
Low, David Anthony (1993).
Eclipse of empire. Cambridge University Press. p. 154.
ISBN0-521-45754-8.