Previous Year Question

Under the Government of India Act, 1935, provincial autonomy was introduced and elections to the provincial legislatures were held in 1937. The Congress achieved significant success in several provinces.

Initially, the Congress did not immediately agree to form ministries because it had objections regarding the special powers of the Governors. Subsequently, Congress ministries began to take office from July 1937.

The Congress initially formed governments in provinces such as Madras, Bombay, United Provinces, Bihar, Central Provinces and Orissa, and Congress-led governments were subsequently formed in Assam and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) as well.

During their tenure, these ministries took several measures relating to civil liberties, agrarian problems, primary education, release of political prisoners and social reform, although their powers remained limited under the Government of India Act, 1935.

When the Second World War began in September 1939, the Viceroy declared India to be at war without consulting Indian political leaders. In protest, on 22 October 1939, the Congress Working Committee called upon the Congress ministries to resign.

The ministries consequently resigned during October-November 1939. Conventionally, this period of Congress provincial government from 1937 to 1939 is described as 28 months of Congress rule.