Council of State (India)

The Council of State was the upper house of the legislature for British India (the Imperial Legislative Council) created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the old Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms. The Central Legislative Assembly was the lower house.

As a result of Indian independence, the Council of State was dissolved on 14 August 1947 and its place taken by the Constituent Assembly of India and the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.

The Council of State used to meet at the Metcalfe House. The Viceroy or Governor-General was its ex officio President.

The Council of States was created by the Government of India Act 1919. As per this Act, the Council was to have 60 members. The composition was as follows:

The province-wise composition was as follows:

The Muslim seats of Punjab together with one General seat of Bihar and Orissa alternated to elect 2 seats for every Council of State.

The members had a tenure of 5 years. There were no women members.

The elected members were voted from an electorate consisting of persons who fulfilled either condition

This electorate consisted of not more than 17,000 of entire population of 24 crores (240,000,000) in 1920.

The Government of India Act 1935 introduced further reforms. The size of the Council was increased to 260 members, 156 came from provinces while 104 came from the princely states. However, elections to the federal legislature did not take place until 1946.

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