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{{Short description|Former legislature in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
'''Bombay Legislative Council''' was the legislature of the [[Bombay Province]] and later the [[upper house]] of the [[bicameral]] legislature of [[Bombay Province]] in [[British Raj|British India]] and the [[States and union territories of India|Indian]] state of [[Bombay State|Bombay]].

==History==
The [[Indian Councils Act 1861]] set up the '''Bombay Legislative Council''' as an advisory body through which the colonial administration obtained advice and assistance. The act empowered the provincial governor to nominate four non-English Indian members to the council for the first time. Under the act, the nominated members were allowed to move their own bills and vote on bills introduced in the council. However, they were not allowed to question the executive, move resolutions or examine the budget and not interfere with the laws passed by the Central Legislature. The governor was also the president of the council and he had complete authority over when, where and how long to convene the Council and what to discuss. Two members of his Executive Council and the Advocate-General of Bombay were also allowed to participate and vote in the council.

The first meeting of the erstwhile Legislative Council of the then Bombay Province was held on 22 January 1862 at the Durbar Hall of the [[Asiatic Society of Mumbai Town Hall|Town Hall]] in [[Bombay]]. The meeting was then chaired by the then Governor, Sir [[George Russell Clerk]].<ref name=ADC2011>{{cite news|title=75 years and at it|url=http://www.afternoondc.in/city-news/75-years-and-at-it/article_30704|access-date=23 August 2013|newspaper=Afternoon Despatch & Courier|date=25 July 2011}}</ref> The first five Indian members of the council were chosen such that three of them did not know English.<ref>{{cite book|title=Civil Society, Public Sphere and Citizenship: Dialogues and Perceptions|pages=116|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fc0QXo7RQOEC|isbn=9780761998327|last1=Bhargava|first1=Rajeev|last2=Reifeld|first2=Helmut|date=2005-05-27|publisher=SAGE Publications }}</ref>

The role of the council was expanded by the [[Indian Councils Act 1892]] and increased the total number of members of the council to twenty. The non-official members were to be nominated from the [[Bombay Municipal Corporation]], the Fellows of [[Bombay University]], the Chamber of Commerce of Bombay, the Chamber of Commerce of [[Karachi]], the zamindars of [[Sind Division|Sind]], the sardars of the Deccan, the municipalities of the Northern Division, the local boards of the Southern Division and three representatives of the Central Division.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cashman|first=Richard|title=The Myth of the Lokamanya: Tilak and Mass Politics in Maharashtra|year=1975|publisher=University of California Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/mythoflokamanya00rich/page/64 64]|url=https://archive.org/details/mythoflokamanya00rich|url-access=registration|isbn=9780520024076}}</ref> The council could discuss the annual financial statement and ask questions subject to certain limitations.

The [[Indian Councils Act 1909]] officially introduced the method of electing members to the council, but did not provide for direct election of the members. It abolished automatic official (executive) majorities in the council and gave its members the power to move resolutions upon matters of general public interest and the budget and also to ask supplementary questions.

Based on the recommendations of the [[Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms|Montague-Chelmsford]] report, the [[Government of India Act 1919]] was enacted. The act enlarged the Bombay legislative council and increased the strength of elected members to be greater than that of nominated and official members. It introduced a system of [[dyarchy]] in the Provinces.

The [[Government of India Act 1935]] abolished dyarchy and established provincial autonomy. It created a [[bicameralism|bicameral]] legislature in the Bombay province. The legislature consisted of the governor and two legislative bodies - a [[Bombay Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] and a Legislative Council. The council was a permanent body not subject to dissolution by the governor and one-third of its members retired every three years.

After India became [[Indian independence movement|independent]] in 1947 and the [[Constitution of India|Indian Constitution]] was adopted in 1950, the Legislative Council continued to be the upper chamber of the legislature of the [[Bombay State]].

The legislature of [[Bombay State]] ceased to exist in 1960 after the bifurcation of Bombay into [[Maharashtra]] and [[Gujarat]].

==List of members (1862–1909)==
<ref>{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Indian Biography|year=1971|publisher=Haskell House Publishers Ltd.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y8AKI2nqPBQC}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Proceedings of the Council of the Governor of Bombay Assembled for the Purpose of Making Laws|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=03UZAAAAYAAJ|last1=Legislative Council|first1=Bombay (India : State). Legislature|year=1880}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Year
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left valign=top|Governor
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|Officials
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|Non-officials
|-
|align=left| 1862–1867
|align=left| [[Henry Bartle Frere]]
|align=left| [[Walter Richard Cassels]], [[Michael Roberts Westropp|M. R. Westropp]], [[William Barrington Tristram|W. B. Tristram]], [[William Mansfield, 1st Baron Sandhurst|General Sir William Mansfield]], [[Henry Wilson Reeves|H. Reeves]]
|align=left| [[Jaganath Shunkerseth]] (1862–1865), [[Savanur State|Nawab of Savanur Abdul Tabriz Khan Diler Jung Bahadur]] (1862), Rustomji Jamshetji Jejeebhoy, [[Vinchurkar family|Sardar Madhavrao Vinchurkar]], Seth Premabhai Hemchand,<ref name=MahGazette>{{cite web| url=http://cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/greater_bombay/publiclife.html | title=PUBLIC LIFE AND VOLUNTARY SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANISATIONS | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606104244/http://cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/greater_bombay/publiclife.html | archive-date=2013-06-06}}</ref> [[Mangaldas Nathubhoy]] (1866–1867), Parashuramrao Shrinivas of [[Aundh State]] (1866–1867)
|-
|align=left| 1867–1872
|align=left| [[Seymour Vesey-FitzGerald]]
|align=left| [[Sir Alexander Grant, 10th Baronet|Sir Alexander Grant]] (1868), [[Andrew Scoble]] (1870–1877)
|align=left| Parashuramrao Shrinivas of [[Aundh State]] (1867–1868), [[Mangaldas Nathubhoy]] (1867–1872), [[Albert Abdullah David Sassoon]] (1868–1872), [[Framjee Nasarwanjee Patel]], [[Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 2nd Baronet]]
|-
|align=left| 1872–1877
|align=left| [[Philip Wodehouse (colonial administrator)|Sir Philip Wodehouse]]
|align=left| [[Andrew Scoble]] (1870–1877), [[Charles Staveley]]
|align=left| [[Mangaldas Nathubhoy]] (1872–1874), [[Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 2nd Baronet]], Narayan Vasudev Dabholkar (1872–1877), [[Vishwanath Narayan Mandlik]] (1874–1880), Padamji Pestanji (1874–1876), Sorabji Shapurji Bengali (1876), [[Dosabhai Framji Karaka]] (1877), [[Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 3rd Baronet]], Nakhuda Mohammad Ali Roghay, Bechardas Ambaidas Laskari
|-
|align=left| 1877–1880
|align=left| [[Sir Richard Temple, 1st Baronet|Richard Temple]]
|align=left| [[Henry Warre]], [[James Gibbs (judge)|J. Gibbs]], [[Lionel Robert Ashburner|L. R. Ashburner]], [[Edward William Ravenscroft|E. W. Ravenscroft]], Col. [[Charles James Merriman|C. J. Merriman]], Col. [[William Coussmaker Anderson|W. C. Anderson]], [[Mackintosh Balfour|M. Balfour]], [[Magnus Mowat (merchant)|M. Mowat]]
|align=left| [[Dosabhai Framji Karaka]] (1877–1879), Narayan Vasudev Dabholkar (1877–1880), [[Vishwanath Narayan Mandlik]] (1877–1880), Madhoji Rao Janrao Naik Nimbalkar of Phaltan (1878–1880), Morarjee Goculdas (1879), Syud Hussan El Edroos (1879), [[Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 3rd Baronet]] (1880)
|-
|align=left| 1880–1885
|align=left| [[Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet|James Fergusson]]
|align=left| [[Henry Warre]], [[Lionel Robert Ashburner|L. R. Ashburner]], [[Edward William Ravenscroft|E. W. Ravenscroft]], Col. [[Charles James Merriman|C. J. Merriman]], Col. [[William Coussmaker Anderson|W. C. Anderson]], James M. Graham
|align=left| [[Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 3rd Baronet]] (1880), [[Solomon David Sassoon]] (1880), [[Aga Khan II]] (1880), [[Gopal Hari Deshmukh]] (1880–1882), [[Vishvanath Narayan Mandlik|Vishwanath Narayan Mandlik]] (1880–1884), Narayan Vasudev Dabholkar (1880–1884), [[Rahimtulla M. Sayani]] (1880–1885), [[Badruddin Tyabji]] (1882–1886), [[Kashinath Trimbak Telang]] (1884), Sir Jaswanthsinghji Fatehsinghji of [[Limbdi State]] (1884), Khanderao Vishwanath Raste (1884–1885)
|-
|align=left| 1885–1890
|align=left| [[Donald Mackay, 11th Lord Reay|Lord Reay]]
|align=left| [[James Bellett Richey|J. B. Richey]], Raymond West, [[Francis Law Latham]], J. Macpherson, [[Frank Forbes Adam]], J. R. Naylor
|align=left| [[Mahadev Govind Ranade]] (1885–1886), Khanderao Vishwanath Raste (1885–1886), [[Rahimtulla M. Sayani]] (1885–1890), [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] (1885), Khan Bahadur Shahabuddin Kazi (1886), [[Pherozeshah Mehta]] (1887), [[Dinshaw Maneckji Petit]] (1888–1889), Jawansinghji of [[Idar State]], Bechardas Veharidas Desai (1888), [[Kashinath Trimbak Telang]], Mahadeo Vasudeo Barve
|-
|align=left| 1890–1895
|align=left| [[George Harris, 4th Baron Harris|Lord Harris]]
|align=left| [[Herbert Mills Birdwood]], A. C. Trevor, Basil Lang, Sir R. West, [[Charles Bradley Pritchard|Sir Charles Pritchard]], T. D. Little, [[George William Vidal|G. W. Vidal]],
|align=left| [[Mahadev Govind Ranade]] (1890–1891)(1893–1894), [[Rahimtulla M. Sayani]] (1894–1895), Dorabjee Padamjee, [[Ranchhodlal Chhotalal]], [[Hassan Ali Effendi]]
|-
|align=left| 1895–1900
|align=left| [[William Mansfield, 1st Viscount Sandhurst|Lord Sandhurst]]
|align=left| John Nugent, [[Charles Ollivant]], A. S. Moriarty, T. R. McLellan, [[Reginald Macaulay|R. H. Macaulay]], E. Giles, H. M. Thompson, C. T. Burke, Andrew Wingate, W. C. Hughes, H. Batty, P. C. H. Snow, [[H. E. M. James]], F. S. P. Lely, A. Abercombie, T. L. F. Beaumont, J. Tate, H. F. Aston, [[John Muir-Mackenzie|J. W. P. Muir-Mackenzie]]
|align=left| [[Rahimtulla M. Sayani]] (1895–1896), [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]] (1895–1897), [[Pherozeshah Mehta]], Daji Abaji Khare, [[Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad]], Mir Allahbakshkhan Shahwani Talpur, [[Gopal Krishna Gokhale]] (1899–1900), Dhondo Shamrao Garud, [[N. G. Chandavarkar]], Vijbhukhandas Atmaram Mehta, Chunilal Venilal, Achyut Bhaskar Desai<ref>{{cite book|title=Proceedings Council of the Governor of Bombay Assembled for the purpose of making laws and regulations|year=1897|publisher=Authority of His Excellency the Governor}}</ref>
|-
|align=left| 1900–1903
|align=left| [[Henry Northcote, 1st Baron Northcote|Henry Northcote]]
|align=left| [[Herbert Mills Birdwood]], [[Charles Ollivant]] (1900–1902), [[Edmund McGildowny Hope Fulton]] (1902), [[James Monteath]]
|align=left| [[Gopal Krishna Gokhale]] (1901), [[Pherozeshah Mehta]], Sir Bhalchandra Krishna Bhatavdekar, Daji Abaji Khare, Gokuldas Parekh, Sardar Narayanrao Govindrao Ghorpade (Chief of Ichalkaranji), Shripad Anant Chhatre, Fazulbhoy Visram
|-
|align=left| 1903–1907
|align=left| [[Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington|Lord Lamington]]
|align=left| [[James Monteath]], [[John Muir Mackenzie]], [[Edmund McGildowny Hope Fulton|E. McG. H. Fulton]], C. H. Armstrong, [[Montagu de Pomeroy Webb|M. de P. Webb]], W. H. White, E. Giles, [[John Lewis Jenkins|J. L. Jenkins]], R. A. Lamb, J. Tate, W. C. Hughes, [[Silas Meyer Moses]]
|align=left| Mir Allahbakshkhan Shahwani Talpur (1903), Gokuldas Parekh (1903–1904), [[Ibrahim Rahimtoola]] (1903), Daji Abaji Khare (1903), Hari Sitaram Dikshit (1903–1904), Navroji Khandalavala (1903), [[Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad]] (1903–1904), [[Vithaldas Thackersey]] (1903–1904), Chintamanrao Patwardhan of [[Kurundvad Senior]] (1903–1904), [[Pherozeshah Mehta]] (1904), Darasha Chichgar (1904), [[R. G. Bhandarkar]] (1904), Ganpatrao Vinchurkar (1904)<ref name=ILIOL>{{cite book|title=The India List and India Office List|year=1905|page=89|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3VQTAAAAYAAJ|last1=India Office|first1=Great Britain}}</ref>
|}

==Indian Councils Act 1909==
The [[Indian Councils Act 1909]] expanded the strength of the legislative council to 49 (including the Governor) and introduced the indirect election of members to the Council. The legislative council was composed of
* Ex-officio members (4): Executive council members (3) and the Advocate-General (1)
* Nominated members (21): Officials (up to 14), Experts (2) and Non-Officials
* Elected members (21): [[Bombay Municipal Corporation]] (1), Municipalities (4), [[University of Bombay]] (1), Landholders (3), Muslims (4), Bombay Chamber of Commerce (1), Karachi Chamber of Commerce (1), Millowners' associations of Bombay (1) and Ahmadabad (1) and the Indian commercial community (1).
[[Rafiuddin Ahmed]], [[Sir Chinubhai Madhowlal Ranchhodlal, 1st Baronet|Sir Chinubhai Ranchhodlal]], [[Lallubhai Samaldas]] (1910-1912), [[R. P. Paranjpye]] (1912-1915), Sir Gokuldas Parekh (1912-1915), [[Vithalbhai Patel]] (1913-1920), [[Dinshaw Edulji Wacha]] (1915), Balkrishna Sitaram Kamat, Wadero Ghulam Kadir Dayo,(1913-1920) and [[Chunilal Mehta]] (1916)<ref name=GLMehta/> were among the notable members.

==Government of India Act 1919==
The [[Government of India Act 1919|Government of India Act of 1919]] which introduced the concept of diarchy in the province further enlarged the council and gave the elected members a majority.

The composition of the Council was as follows:
*Nominated Members
**Ex-officio Members of the Governor's Executive Council
**Nominated Officials (25)
**Nominated from special interest groups (5): Anglo-Indians, Indian Christians, Labour, Depressed Classes, Cotton Trade
*Elected Members (86)
**Non-Muhammadan (General) (46):
***Urban (11): Bombay City (North) (3), Bombay City (South) (3), Karachi, Ahmedabad, Surat, Sholapur, Poona
***Rural (35): Ahmedabad (2), Broach, Kaira (2), Panch Mahals, Surat (2), Thana (2), Ahmednagar (2), East Khandesh (3), Nasik (2), Poona (2), Satara (3), Belgaum (2), Bijapur, Dharwar (2), Kanara, Ratnagiri (2), Eastern Sind, Western Sind, Sholapur, Kolaba, West Khandesh
**Muhammadan (27):
***Urban (5): Bombay City (2), Karachi City, Ahmedabad & Surat, Poona & Sholapur
***Rural (22): Northern Division (3), Central Division (3), Southern Division (3), Hyderabad (2), Karachi (2), Larkana (3), Sukkur (2), Thar & Parkar (2), Nawebshah, Upper Sind Frontier
**European (2): Bombay City, Presidency
**Landholders (3): Deccan Sardars, Gujarat Sardars, Sind Jagirdars & Zamindars
**University (1): University of Bombay
**Commerce & Industry (7): Bombay Chamber of Commerce (2), Karachi Chamber of Commerce, Bombay Trades Association, Bombay Millowners' Association, Ahmedabad Millowners' Association, Indian Merchants' Chamber & Bureau

7 of the constituencies were reserved for Marathas.<ref name="act1919">{{cite book | title=The Govt of India ACT 1919 Rules Thereunder and Govt Reports 1920| first=H.N.|last=Mithra| year=2009| pages=186–199| publisher=BiblioBazaar|isbn=978-1-113-74177-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aw5r4QyRijMC&pg=RA2-PA186}}</ref>

Indians were elected as the President of the Council such as [[N. G. Chandavarkar]] (1921-1923), [[Ibrahim Rahimtullah]] (1923)<ref name=GLMehta>{{cite book|last=Basu|first=Aparna|title=G.L. Mehta, a Many Splendoured Man|page=53|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0P9ahUa7wrgC|isbn=9788170228912|year=2001|publisher=Concept Publishing Company }}</ref> and [[Ali Muhammad Khan Dehlavi]] (1927).

==See also==
*[[List of governors of Bombay Presidency]]
*[[1937 Bombay Presidency election]]
*[[Bombay Legislative Assembly]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Legislatures of India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bombay Legislative Council}}
[[Category:Bombay Presidency]]
[[Category:Defunct upper houses in India]]
[[Category:Bombay State]]
[[Category:Legislatures of British India]]

Bombay Legislative Council - Revision history

TeresitaBunch at 23:36, 24 March 2026