Nehru Report

The Nehru Report of 1928 was a significant political document drafted by an Indian committee under the chairmanship of Motilal Nehru. It represented one of the earliest comprehensive efforts by Indian leaders to formulate a constitutional framework for India’s self-government. The report was prepared in response to the British government’s invitation to Indian political parties to suggest their views on constitutional reforms following the failure of the Simon Commission to include any Indian members.

Background

The political environment of the late 1920s in India was marked by widespread dissatisfaction with British rule. The Simon Commission, appointed in 1927 to review the working of the Government of India Act, 1919, consisted entirely of British members, which led to protests and boycotts throughout the country. The absence of Indian representation was viewed as a deliberate insult to Indian aspirations for self-rule.
In response, a conference of Indian political leaders was convened in February 1928 at the initiative of the All Parties Conference, presided over by Dr M. A. Ansari. The conference appointed a committee under Motilal Nehru, with Jawaharlal Nehru as its secretary, to draft a constitution for India that would represent the collective Indian demand for dominion status within the British Commonwealth.

Composition of the Committee

The Nehru Committee consisted of prominent leaders of various political parties, including:

• Motilal Nehru (Chairman)
• Jawaharlal Nehru (Secretary)
• Ali Imam
• Subhas Chandra Bose
• Tej Bahadur Sapru
• M. S. Aney
• Shuaib Qureshi

The committee represented a cross-section of Indian political opinion, although the Muslim League, particularly under the influence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, expressed reservations about some of its proposals.

Main Recommendations

The Nehru Report proposed a framework for a dominion constitution for India based on democratic and secular principles. Its key recommendations included:

• Dominion Status for India within the British Commonwealth, similar to that of Canada or Australia.
• Parliamentary form of government with a bicameral legislature at the centre consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate.
• Fundamental Rights guaranteed to all citizens, including freedom of expression, religion, and association, equality before law, and protection against discrimination.
• Universal Adult Suffrage, advocating for voting rights for all adults irrespective of caste, creed, or gender—a progressive idea for the time.
• Secular State, with no state religion and equal protection for all faiths.
• Provincial Autonomy, granting significant powers to provincial governments.
• Rejection of Separate Electorates for different religious communities, a proposal originally introduced under British policies to divide Indian politics along communal lines. The report instead supported joint electorates with reservation of seats for minorities in certain areas where necessary.
• Independent Judiciary, ensuring separation of powers and protection of civil liberties.
• Reform of the Indian States’ Relations, proposing that the princely states join the federation on the basis of equality.

Features of the Proposed Constitution

The Nehru Report envisaged a strong central government with residuary powers vested in the centre. The Governor-General would act as the constitutional head, bound by the advice of responsible ministers, similar to the position of the British monarch in a dominion government. The fundamental rights section was particularly notable, as it foreshadowed many of the rights later enshrined in the Constitution of independent India in 1950.

Reaction and Controversy

The Nehru Report generated mixed reactions among different political and communal groups.

• Congress and Liberal Support: The Indian National Congress and several liberal political groups supported the report as a realistic and well-balanced document that reflected Indian unity and constitutional maturity.
• Muslim League Opposition: A section of the Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, objected to the rejection of separate electorates and the absence of adequate safeguards for Muslims. Jinnah later formulated his Fourteen Points (1929) in response, outlining Muslim demands such as separate electorates, provincial autonomy, and adequate minority representation.
• Youth and Leftist Criticism: Younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose felt that the demand for dominion status fell short of complete independence. They wanted the Congress to demand Purna Swaraj (full independence) instead.
• British Response: The British government largely ignored the recommendations of the report, reflecting its unwillingness to concede substantial constitutional power to Indians at that time.

Significance

Despite its rejection by the British and lack of full consensus among Indian groups, the Nehru Report marked a turning point in India’s constitutional development. Its significance lies in several key areas:

• It was the first Indian-authored constitutional document that provided a detailed plan for self-government.
• It represented a united Indian effort to present a common constitutional demand before the British authorities.
• It articulated a vision of democratic governance and civil rights, elements later incorporated into the Indian Constitution of 1950.
• It demonstrated India’s capacity for self-rule and political negotiation within a constitutional framework.
• It marked the beginning of ideological divergence between the Congress and the Muslim League, which later influenced the politics of partition.