Consider the following statements:
1. The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 recommended granting voting rights to all the women above the age of 21.
2. The Government of India Act of 1935 gave women reserved seats in legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act, 1919) did not grant universal adult franchise to all women above 21. Instead, it left the question of women’s franchise to the discretion of provincial legislatures, which subsequently extended voting rights to an extremely narrow, privileged section of women based on strict property ownership, taxation, and educational qualifications.
Statement 2 is correct: Under the Government of India Act of 1935, the principle of communal representation was extended with separate reserved seats allocated specifically for women in both the Federal Assembly and Provincial Legislative Assemblies.
According to the official UPSC answer key, only statement 2 is correct — Option B.