(1) _General._--The Government of India shall have undivided authority
in matters concerning Peace, Tranquillity and Defence of the Country;
but _subject to a Statutory Declaration_ of the rights of the people of
India as British citizens, viz., that all Indians are equal before law,
equally entitled to a licence to bear arms and to have the freedom of
speech, writing, and meeting, and also the freedom of the Press, and
that no one be punished or deprived of his liberty except by a sentence
of a Court of Justice.
That the principle of Responsible Government should be applied to the
Central Administration by dividing the subjects into (1) reserved (2)
transferred. The reserved subjects to be administered by Government
without popular control. The reserved subjects shall be Foreign affairs
(except relations with Colonies, and Dominions), Army, Navy, and
relations with Indian Ruling Princes, as well as matters affecting
public peace, tranquillity, defence of the country subject to the
Declarations of Rights mentioned above. All other subjects should be
transferred subjects--_i.e._, transferred to the popular control
exercised by the enlarged Legislative Assembly.
There should be no Privy Council.
(2) _Executive Council._--The Executive Council shall consist partly of
Ministers, from the Elected members of tie Legislative Council, and in
charge of the transferred subjects; and other members nominated by the
Government in charge of the reserved subjects. When there are two or
more members in charge of the reserved subjects, half the number shall
be Indians.
(3) _Legislative Council._--There should be no Council of State, but only
one Legislative Assembly composed of 150 members, four-fifths of whom
should be elected directly by the people. The Franchise should be as
broad as possible without distinction of sex, but with a proportional
and communal representation for Mohammedans as settled at Lucknow. The
Assembly should have an elected President. (The Moslem League does not
object to the Council of State if at least half the members thereof
would be elected).
The Legislative Assembly should have the same measure of fiscal autonomy
as Self-Governing Dominions, and should control the Budget, excepting
the reserved subjects, the allotment for which shall be a first charge
on the Revenues. All Bills must be introduced and passed in the
Assembly.
Provided that in the case of reserved subjects if the Legislative
Assembly does not pass measures desired by Government, the
Governor-General in Council may provide for the same by regulations.
Such regulations will remain in force for one year, and shall not be
renewed unless 40 per cent (two-fifths of the members) of the
Legislative Assembly present and voting are in favour of them.
The Governor-General to retain his existing power of making ordinances
and the Governor-General in Council the power of passing regulations.
The Governor-General and the Crown to have also power of assent,
reservation or disallowance.
The Congress-League scheme objects to periodical Commissions for
revising the Constitution, and asks for a Statutory declaration that the
transfer of responsibility should be completed in a period not exceeding
15 years, when India should be placed on a footing of equality with the
other self-governing parts of the Empire.