Simon Commission and Constitutional Politics

The appointment of the Simon Commission in 1927 marked a critical turning point in modern Indian history. It accelerated the demand for self-rule and catalyzed key constitutional developments, including the Nehru Report and the declaration of Purna Swaraj.

Background and Statutory Context

The Government of India Act 1919 included a provision under Section 84A that mandated a review of the Indian constitutional system ten years after its implementation. The British Conservative government, led by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, appointed the commission in November 1927, two years ahead of the scheduled date of 1929. The ruling Conservative Party feared defeat in the upcoming UK general elections to the Labour Party. They preferred to control the composition of the commission rather than leave the appointment to a prospective Labour government. Lord Birkenhead served as the Secretary of State for India during this period.

Composition of the Commission

The official name of the body was the Indian Statutory Commission. It consisted of seven members, all of whom were British Members of Parliament.

• Sir John Simon (Liberal Party) served as the Chairman of the Commission.
• Clement Attlee (Labour Party) was a member who later became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during India’s independence in 1947.
• Vernon Hartshorn (Labour Party) served as a commission member.
• Edward Cadogan (Conservative Party) was appointed to the panel.
• George Lane-Fox (Conservative Party) served on the committee.
• Donald Howard, 3rd Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal (Conservative Party), was a member.
• Harry Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham (Conservative Party), completed the seven-member group.

The complete exclusion of Indians from the commission generated widespread anger across all political factions in India. Lord Birkenhead defended the decision by arguing that Indian politicians were divided and incapable of reaching a consensus on constitutional reforms.

Political Response and Boycott Movement

The Indian National Congress decided to boycott the commission at its Madras session in December 1927, presided over by Dr. M.A. Ansari. The party passed a resolution calling for a complete boycott “at every stage and in every form.”

Alignment of Political Parties

The boycott proposal created distinct divisions among various political groups in India.

The commission arrived in Bombay on February 3, 1928. A nationwide hartal (strike) was observed, accompanied by black flag demonstrations and the slogan “Simon Go Back.”

The Lahore Incident and Aftermath

On October 30, 1928, the commission visited Lahore. Lala Lajpat Rai led a peaceful anti-Simon demonstration near the Lahore railway station. Police Superintendent James A. Scott ordered a lathi charge against the demonstrators. Lala Lajpat Rai suffered severe chest injuries during the assault and died on November 17, 1928. Before his death, he stated that the blows struck upon him would prove to be the final nails in the coffin of the British Empire in India. In response, members of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), including Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, targeted James A. Scott. On December 17, 1928, they mistakenly shot and killed Assistant Superintendent of Police John P. Saunders in Lahore.

All Parties Conference and the Nehru Report

Lord Birkenhead challenged Indian leaders to draft a constitution that could gain acceptance from all communities and political parties in India. Indian leaders accepted the challenge and convened the All Parties Conference in Delhi in February 1928.

Recommendations of the Nehru Committee

The conference appointed a committee headed by Motilal Nehru to draft the constitutional framework. Jawaharlal Nehru served as the secretary of this committee. The final proposal, known as the Nehru Report, was submitted in August 1928.

• Dominion Status was proposed as the form of government, structured on a parliamentary system with a bicameral legislature at the Centre.
• Rejection of separate electorates in favor of joint electorates with reservation of seats for minorities in provinces where they were in a minority.
• Nineteen fundamental rights were defined, including universal adult suffrage, equal rights for women, and the freedom to form unions.
• Complete dissociation of the State from religion was explicitly advocated.
• Creation of linguistic provinces was recommended for administrative efficiency.
• The Governor-General was to function as the constitutional head, acting on the advice of the executive council.

Counter-Proposals and Political Rift

Muhammad Ali Jinnah proposed three amendments to the Nehru Report during the All Parties Conference in Calcutta in December 1928. He demanded one-third representation for Muslims in the central legislature, reservation for Muslims in Punjab and Bengal on a population basis, and vesting residual powers in the provinces rather than the Centre. Upon the rejection of these amendments, Jinnah severed ties with the All Parties Conference. In March 1929, he formulated his Fourteen Points, which re-emphasized separate electorates and provincial autonomy. Simultaneously, younger leaders within the Congress, such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, rejected the demand for Dominion Status. They formed the Independence for India League in November 1928 to advocate for complete independence. This culminated in the adoption of the Purna Swaraj resolution at the Lahore session of the Congress in December 1929.

Recommendations of the Simon Commission Report

The Simon Commission published its two-volume report in May 1930. The primary recommendations shaped future legislative debates.

• Abolition of Dyarchy in the provinces and the introduction of full Provincial Autonomy.
• Retention of overarching emergency powers and veto authority with Provincial Governors and the Governor-General.
• Rejection of ministerial responsibility at the Centre, keeping the executive completely independent of the legislature.
• Continuation of separate electorates for communal representation until tensions subsided.
• Extension of the franchise, increasing the voter base from 3% to approximately 10–15% of the total population.
• Establishment of a Consultative Council of Greater India representing both British provinces and Princely States.
• Administrative separation of Burma from India and the creation of Sindh as a separate province detached from Bombay.

Key Historical Facts

The British government ignored the rejection of the Simon Commission report by major Indian political parties and used its contents as a baseline for future constitutional discussions. The recommendations of the Simon Report directly led to the convening of the three Round Table Conferences in London between 1930 and 1932. These conferences brought together representatives from British political parties, Indian political groups, and the Princely States to discuss constitutional reforms. The outcomes of the Simon Commission Report, combined with the discussions at the Round Table Conferences and the subsequent White Paper of 1933, formed the structural foundation of the Government of India Act 1935. Clement Attlee’s inclusion in the Simon Commission gave him early exposure to Indian constitutional affairs, influencing his policy decisions as British Prime Minister when overseeing the transfer of power in 1947.