As far as possible, there should be complete popular control in local bodies and largest possible independence from them from outside control. Do you think that the above basic principle of the Mont-ford Report was inculcated in the Government of India act 1919? Substantiate your answer with relevant features of the Government of India Act 1919.

The Montford Report formed the basis of the Government of India Act 1919. The report stated to introduce self-governing institutions gradually to India.
One of the important features of the report was to have complete popular control in local bodies and largest possible independence.
To some extent, the 1919 Act adopted the recommendations of the report, but cannot directly state that the above principle of complete popular control in local bodies without outside interference was adhered to.
The 1919 Act pronounced diarchy by making a provision for classification of the central and provincial subjects.
Further, the subjects were divided into reserved and transferred.  The reserved subjects were kept with the Governor and transferred subjects were kept with the Indian Ministers. This division of subjects was basically what they meant by introducing the Diarchy.
This makes it obvious of the interference of the British government through the provision of reserved subjects.
However, one of the positive outcome of the 1919 Act was the Gradual decentralization of authority with loosening the supreme hold of the central government. Thus, the preamble of this act suggested for a decentralized unitary form of government.
In this way, we can to some extent believe that it respected the idea of local self governing bodies as the idea of de-centralisation was central to the 1919 Act.

Topics: GS-I: Modern Indian History & Freedom Struggle