Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/171

 GOVERNMENT AN T D CONSTITUTION 119

at least seventy per cent, elected members, and, in addition to its legislative functions, votes all expenditure, subject to certain specified exceptions an wer of the Local Government to incur expenditure, on reserved subjects without the Council's assent if th« Governor certifies such expendi- ture to be necessary. The normal duration of the Legislative Council is thiee years, but it may be dissolved sooner by the Governor, or its term specially extended for one year. The Ministers who assist the Governor in the administration of transferred subjects are not to be officials. The Governor may uot be a member of the Legislative Council, but may address the Council.

TheProviuces to which this new form of government is applied are Bengal, Madras, Bombay, Bihar and Orissa, Unied Provinces, Punjab, Central Provinces, and Assam. The minimum number of members in each Legislative Council is: Madras, 118 ; Bombay, 111; Bengal, 125; United Provinces, 118 ; Punjab, 83 ; Bihar and Orissa, 98 ; Central Provinces, 70 ; Assam, 53. The numbers may be increased, and in several provinces increases have already been made. Proposals for a revision of Burma's constitution on the lines of the Indian Reform Act of 1919 are under consideration (March, 1921).

The provinces are usually formed into divisions under Commissioners, and then divided into districts, which are the units of administration. At the head of each district is an executive officer (collector and magistrate, or deputy -commissioner), who has entire control of the district, subject to the control of his official superior district officer. Subordinate to the magistrate (in most districts) there are a joint magistrate, an assistant - magistrate, and one or more deputy-collectors and other officials. There are 267 of such districts in British India.

Government of Indian States.— The control which the Supreme Govern- ment exercises over the Indian States varies considerably in degree ; but they are all governed by the Indian princes, ministers, or councils. The ^ princes have no right to make war or peace, or to send ambassadors to each other or to external States ; they are not permitted to maintain a military force above a certain specified limit ; no European is allowed to reside at any of their courts without special sanction ; and the Supreme Govern- ment can exercise control in case of misgovernment. Within these limits the more important princes are autonomous in their own territories. Some, but n^t all of them, are required to pay an annual fixed tribute. The total number of Indian States is about 700, ranging from Hyderabad, with an area of over 82,000 square miles and a population of over 13 millions, to •mall States consisting of only a few villages.

In recent year* the Princes have met in conferences at the invitation of the Viceroy, but in February, 1921, a Council of Princes was established as a permanent consultative body to discuss matters relating to treaties, or affairs of Imperial or common concern.

Local Self-Goverxmext.

There were at the end of 1918-19, 731 municipalities, with a population of over 17 millions. The total number of members of the municipal bodies was 9,943, of whom 5,532 were elected. The municipal bodies have the care and lighting of the roads, water supply, drainage, sanitation, medical relief, vaccination, and education, particularly primary education ; they impose taxes, enact bye-laws, make improvements, and spend money, with the sanction of the Provincial Government. Their aggregate income in 1918-19 was about 7,066,000/., exclusive of loans, sales of securities, and other ex- traordinary receipts amounting to 5,071,000/. The aggregate expenditure