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{{Short description|Legislative council of Eastern Bengal and Assam}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox legislature
| name = Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council
| native_name = পূর্ববঙ্গ ও আসাম আইন পরিষদ
| native_name_lang =
| transcription_name =
| legislature =
| coa_pic = Star of the Order of the Star of India (gold).svg
| coa_res = 200px
| term_limits =
| foundation = {{Start-date|18 December 1906}}
| disbanded = {{End-date|18 March 1912}}
| preceded_by = [[British Bengal Legislative Council|Bengal Legislative Council]]
| succeeded_by = [[Assam Legislative Council]]<br /> [[British Bengal Legislative Council|Bengal Legislative Council]]
| house_type = [[Unicameral]]
| houses =
| leader1_type =
| leader1 =
| party1 =
| election1 =
| leader2_type =
| leader2 =
| party2 =
| election2 =
| members = 41
| house1 =
| structure1 =
| structure1_res = 250px
| political_groups1 =
| committees1 =
| joint_committees =
| voting_system1 =
| last_election1 =
| session_room = Old Highcourt Bhaban (1).JPG
| session_res =
| meeting_place = Government House in [[Dacca]], [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]] (now known as [[Old High Court Building, Dhaka]])
| website =
| footnotes =
}}

{{politics of Bangladesh}}
{{politics of India}}
The '''Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council'''<ref name="Bareh2001">{{cite book |author=Hamlet Bareh |title=Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Assam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=odY_PWn7pesC&pg=PA271 |year=2001 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=978-81-7099-789-4 |pages=271}}</ref> ({{Langx|bn|পূর্ববঙ্গ ও আসাম আইন পরিষদ}}) was the [[legislative council]] of [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]], a province of the [[British India]] covering [[Bangladesh]] and [[Northeast India]]. It would meet in the Government House of [[Dacca]], the provincial capital. Its ex-officio head was the Lieutenant Governor of Eastern Bengal and Assam.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/core/parliamentinfo.aspx?committee=assam |title=The Parliament of Assam, India |website=Commonwealth Parliamentary Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414160010/http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/core/parliamentinfo.aspx?committee=assam |archive-date=14 April 2021}}</ref>

==Constitution==
The first Legislative Council was formed under the [[Indian Councils Act 1892]]. The Lt. Governor recommended members from the recommendations of District Boards, municipalities, landlords and chambers of commerce. The Lt. Governor required the assent of the [[Viceroy of India]] to appoint the nominees. The council was entitled to discuss budgets and make suggestions to the government, but lacked voting powers. Most members of the council were Europeans, with a minority being native Indian subjects.<ref name="banglapedia">{{Cite web |url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Bengal_Legislative_Council |title=Bengal Legislative Council |website=Banglapedia}}</ref>

==Morley–Minto Reforms==
The [[Indian Councils Act 1909]], crafted by [[John Morley]] and [[Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto|Lord Minto]], ushered partially elected legislative councils. The reforms increased the representation of native subjects. Land owners received the [[right to vote]]. Muslims were granted the right to a [[separate electorate]], as part of [[affirmative action]]. The Legislative Council assembled for the purpose of making Laws and Regulations under the Provisions of the Indian Council Acts, 1861, 1892 and 1909. It advised the Executive Council of the Lt. Governor.<ref>Ilbert, Sir Courtenay Peregrine (1907). "Appendix II: Constitution of the Legislative Councils under the Regulations of November 1909", in The Government of India. Clarendon Press. pp. 432-5.</ref><ref name="banglapedia" />

==Membership==
The council included 41 members after the Morley-Minto Reforms. Its composition is illustrated in the following.<ref name="Broomfield1968">{{cite book |author=J. H. Broomfield |title=Elite Conflict in a Plural Society: Twentieth-century Bengal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B2jUSq08eCcC&pg=PA38 |year=1968 |publisher=University of California Press |page=38 |id=GGKEY:PGQKZ3RNLLG}}</ref>
*Ex-officio Member
**Lieutenant Governor
*Nominated Members
**A maximum of 17 from Officials
**1 from Indian commerce
**2 from Experts
**A minimum of 2 from Others
*Elected members
**[[Port of Chittagong|Chittagong Port Commission]]
**[[Municipalities]]
**District and [[Local government|local boards]]
**[[Zamindar|Landholder]]s
**[[Muslim|Muhammadans]]
**[[Tea]] interest
**[[Jute]] interest

==Geographic coverage==
East Bengal had the most seats on the council due to its large population. Colonial Assam, which covers the Indian states of [[Assam]], [[Meghalaya]], [[Nagaland]], [[Mizoram]] and [[Arunachal Pradesh]]; had 5 seats on the 41-member council due to its smaller population.

==See also==
* [[Legislatures of British India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1906 establishments in British India]]
[[Category:1912 disestablishments in British India]]
[[Category:Northeast India]]
[[Category:Historical legislatures in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Defunct upper houses in India]]
[[Category:Bengal Presidency]]
[[Category:History of Assam]]
[[Category:Legislatures of British India]]
[[Category:Historical legislatures in India]]

Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council - Revision history

Scrapuncle at 09:51, 15 May 2025