All About Local Self Government Under British India

Introduction

The British government decided to decentralize administration through local government (municipalities and district boards). They administered services like education, health, sanitation, water supply, and roads, financed through local taxes. The British retained ultimate authority, often intervening in local affairs to protect their interests. Despite its limitations, local self-government provided Indians with some degree of participation in governance and served as a precursor to later democratic institutions in independent India.

Factors necessitating the Establishment of Local Bodies in British India

• Overcentralization led to financial difficulties.
• Adoption of European civic amenities due to economic contacts with Europe.
• Rising nationalism which included improvement in basic facilities in its agenda.
• Indians’ association with the administration was seen as a tool to check increasing politicization.
• Counter public criticism of British reluctance to draw from an overburdened treasury.
• Evolution of Local Government formed with mostly nominated members and were headed by district magistrates, viewed as instruments for tax collection.

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Important Stages in the Evolution of Local Government in British India

• Mayo’s Resolution of 1870

  • The legislative devolution was inaugurated by the Indian Councils Act of 1861.
  • Provincial governments authorized local taxation for balancing budgets.
  • Certain departments were transferred to provincial control.
  • Mayo’s Resolution emphasized the necessity of local interest and care for education, sanitation, medical relief, and public works.

• Ripon’s Resolution of 1882

  • As the father of local self-government, Lord Ripon emphasized the development of local bodies for administration improvement and political education.
  • The provincial governments urged financial decentralization.
  • The Policy for urban and rural local bodies charged with specific duties and suitable revenue sources.

• Acts between 1883 and 1885

• • They were passed to alter the constitution, powers, and functions of municipal bodies.
  • The era of effective local self-governing bodies was still unrealized.
  • Drawbacks of existing local bodies included minority elected members, limited franchise, official control retention.
  • The bureaucracy opposed the liberal views of the viceroy, believing Indians were unfit for self-government.
  • Lord Curzon increased official control over local bodies in the late 19th century.

• Government of India Resolution of 1915

  • The resolution contained official views on the Commission’s recommendations.
  • Most recommendations remained on paper, and the local body’s conditions remained unchanged.

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• Resolution of May 1918

  • The Resolution reviewed local self-government in light of the 1917 announcement on constitutional advance.
  • It suggested making local bodies as representative as possible with real authority vested in them.

• Under Dyarchy

  • The Local self-government became a ‘transferred’ subject under popular ministerial control by the Government of India Act, 1919.
  • It limited the progress due to finance being a ‘reserved’ subject under the executive councillor, hindering work in local self-government.

• Simon Commission (May 1930)

  • It noted the lack of progress in village panchayats except in certain provinces with local self-government. 
  • It suggested increasing provincial control for efficiency, criticizes reluctance to impose local taxes.
  • Since the 1919 reforms, it observed deterioration in the financial management of local bodies

• Government of India Act, 1935 and After

  • The Act of 1935 brought provincial autonomy, enhancing the development of local self-governing institutions.
  • Popular ministries controlled portfolio finance, enabling funds for local bodies’ development.
  • The demarcation of taxation between provincial and local finance was scrapped.
  • Provinces passed new acts while granting more authority to local bodies.

• Post-1935 Challenges

  • Despite autonomy, financial resources and the taxation power of local institutions remain limited.
  • Certain new restrictions were placed on the local body’s powers to levy or enhance taxes.
  • Provincial governments ignored the liberal policy of granting wide powers of taxation to local institutions recommended by the Decentralisation Commission (1908).

• Constitutional Provisions

• • Directive Principle Of State Policy, directs state governments to organize effective village panchayats (Article 40).
  • 73rd and 74th Amendments aim to address loopholes in local self-governing institutions in rural and urban areas.        

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Conclusion

Although Local self-government under British India initiated as a means for efficient administration,  it evolved gradually, providing Indians with a degree of participation in governance.  The system evolved over time which granted greater autonomy to provincial governments and further enhanced the development of local self-governing institutions. Local bodies provided Indians with valuable experience in governance and served as a precursor to the democratic institutions that emerged post-independence.

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