1945 Indian general election: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox election
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1945 Indian general election
| country = British India
| country = British India
| type = parliamentary
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1934 Indian general election
| previous_election = 1934 Indian general election
| previous_year = 1934
| previous_year = 1934
| next_election =  
| next_election = 1946 Indian Constituent Assembly election
| next_year = [[1951–52 Indian general election|1951 (India)]] →<br />{{nowrap|[[1970 Pakistani general election|1970 (Pakistan)]]}}
| next_year = 1946
| election_date = 1945
| election_date = December 1945
| seats_for_election = 102 seats contested
| seats_for_election = 102 elected seats
 
| image1 = Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.jpg
<!--     Congress     -->| image1 = [[File:Sarat Chandra Bose.jpg|150x150px]]
| leader1 = [[Abul Kalam Azad]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/ |title=Indian National Congress: From 1885 till 2017, a brief history of past presidents |website=indianexpress.com |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514161101/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/ |archive-date=14 May 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| leader1 = [[Sarat Chandra Bose]]
| party1 = Indian National Congress
| party1 = Indian National Congress
| alliance1 =
| seats1 = 57
| leaders_seat1 =
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 15
| seats1 = 59
| popular_vote1 =
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 17
| percentage1 =
| popular_vote1 =  
| image2 = Jinnah1945c.jpg
| percentage1 =  
| swing1 = <!--      Muslim League -->
| image2 = [[File:Jinnah crop.jpg|150x150px]]
| leader2 = [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]]
| leader2 = [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]]
| leaders_seat2 =
| party2 = All-India Muslim League
| party2 = All-India Muslim League
| alliance2 =
| seats2 = 30
| seats2 = 30
| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 30
| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 30
| popular_vote2 =  
| popular_vote2 =
| percentage2 =
| percentage2 =
| swing2 =  
| title =
| title = government
| posttitle =
| posttitle = Subsequent administration
| after_election =
| after_election = [[Interim Government of India]]
| after_party =
| after_party = Coalition government
| map = [[File:Indian General Election 1945.svg|300px]]
| map = [[File:Indian General Election 1945.svg|300px]]
| majority_seats = 52
| majority_seats = 52
Line 40: Line 32:
{{Politics of India}}
{{Politics of India}}


'''General elections''' were held in [[British Raj|British India]] in December 1945 to elect members of the [[Central Legislative Assembly]] and the [[Council of State (India)|Council of State]].<ref name="Vohra">{{cite book|last=Vohra|first=Ranbir|title=The Making of India: A Political History|page=176|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3oXLluy2m_MC&pg=PA177}}</ref> The [[Indian National Congress]] emerged as the largest party, winning 59 of the 102 elected seats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/fullscreen.html?object=110|title=-- Schwartzberg Atlas -- Digital South Asia Library|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref> The [[All-India Muslim League|Muslim League]] won all Muslim constituencies, but failed to win any other seats. Of the 13 remaining seats, 8 went to Europeans, 3 to independents, and 2 to Akali candidates in the Sikh constituencies of [[Punjab, British India|Punjab]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=260&view=text|title=-- Schwartzberg Atlas -- Digital South Asia Library|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref> This election coupled with the provincial one in 1946 proved to be a [[strategic]] victory for Jinnah and the partitionists. Even though Congress won, the League had united the Muslim vote and as such it gained the negotiating power to seek a separate Muslim homeland as it became clear that a united India would prove highly unstable. The elected members later formed the [[Constituent Assembly of India]].
General elections were held in [[British Raj|British India]] in December 1945 to elect members of the [[Central Legislative Assembly]] and the [[Council of State (India)|Council of State]].<ref name="Vohra">{{cite book|last=Vohra|first=Ranbir|title=The Making of India: A Political History|date=19 December 2012 |page=176|publisher=M.E. Sharpe |isbn=9780765629852 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3oXLluy2m_MC&pg=PA177}}</ref> Election under [[Government of India Act 1935]] were held with limited franchise and only around 10% of the population in direct British controlled provinces were eligible to vote based on their income and property. The [[Indian National Congress]] emerged as the largest party, winning 57 of the 102 elected seats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/fullscreen.html?object=110|title=-- Schwartzberg Atlas -- Digital South Asia Library|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref> The [[All-India Muslim League|Muslim League]] won all Muslim constituencies, but failed to win any other seats. Of the 13 remaining seats, 8 went to Europeans, 3 to independents, and 2 to Akali candidates in the Sikh constituencies of [[Punjab, British India|Punjab]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=260&view=text|title=-- Schwartzberg Atlas -- Digital South Asia Library|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref> This election coupled with the [[1946 Indian provincial elections|provincial one in 1946]] proved to be a [[strategic]] victory for Jinnah and the partitionists. Even though Congress won, the League had united the Muslim vote and as such it gained the negotiating power to seek a separate Muslim homeland as it became clear that a united India would prove highly unstable. The elected members later formed the [[Constituent Assembly of India]].


These were the last general elections in British India; consequent elections were held in [[1951 Indian general election|1951]] in India and [[1970 Pakistani general election|1970]] in Pakistan.
These were the last general elections in British India, subsequent elections in [[India|Independent India]] were held in [[1951 Indian general election|1951]].


==Background==
==Background==
On 19 September 1945, the Viceroy [[Lord Wavell]] announced that elections to the central and provincial legislatures would be held in December 1945 to January 1946. It was also announced that an executive council would be formed and a constitution-making body would be convened after these elections.<ref name="Vohra"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Sen|first=S. N.|title=History of the Freedom Movement in India (1857-1947)|page=317|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hssXP1hBYscC&pg=PA318}}</ref>
On 19 September 1945, the Viceroy [[Lord Wavell]] announced that elections to the central and provincial legislatures would be held in December 1945 to January 1946. It was also announced that an executive council would be formed and a constitution-making body would be convened after these elections.<ref name="Vohra"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Sen|first=S. N.|title=History of the Freedom Movement in India (1857-1947)|year=1997 |page=317|publisher=New Age International |isbn=9788122410495 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hssXP1hBYscC&pg=PA318}}</ref>


Although the [[Government of India Act 1935]] had proposed an all-India federation, it could not take place because the government held that the [[Princely state]]s were unwilling to join it. Consequently, rather than choosing 375 members, only 102 elective seats were to be filled. Hence the elections to the central legislature were held under the terms of the [[Government of India Act 1935]].
Although the [[Government of India Act 1935]] had proposed an all-India federation, it could not take place because the government held that the [[Princely state]]s were unwilling to join it. Consequently, rather than choosing 375 members, only 102 elective seats were to be filled. Hence the elections to the central legislature were held under the terms of the [[Government of India Act 1919]].


==Results==
==Results==
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{{Election results
{{Election results
|party1=[[Indian National Congress]]|seats1=57
|party1=[[Indian National Congress]]|seats1=57
|party2=[[All-India Muslim League|Muslim League]]|seats2=30
|party2=[[All-India Muslim League]]|seats2=30
|party3=[[Akali Dal]]|seats3=2
|party3=[[Akali Dal (1920)|Akali Dal]]|seats3=2
|party4=Europeans|seats4=8
|party4=Europeans|seats4=8
|party5=Independents|seats5=5
|party5=Independents|seats5=5
|source=[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/fullscreen.html?object=110 Schwartzberg Atlas]
|source=Schwartzberg Atlas<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=110|title=-- Schwartzberg Atlas -- Digital South Asia Library|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref>
}}
}}
One Independent member from Bengal representing the Commerce Constituency (Bengal Mahajan Sabha) had after his election joined the INC changing the tally of the INC to 58 and Independents to 4.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Return showing the Results of Elections to the Central Legislative Assembly |url=https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Return_showing_the_Results_of_Elections_to_the_Central_Legislative_Assembly.pdf |publisher=Manager of Government of India Press |year=1948 |location=Delhi |access-date=2025-09-01}}</ref>


===Membership by province===
===Membership by province===
Line 66: Line 60:
!Independent
!Independent
!Minor parties
!Minor parties
!Congress<br /> (General)
!Congress<br /> (General/Non-Muhammadan)
!Congress<br /> (Non-General)
!Congress<br /> (Non-General)
!Muslim League
!Muslim League
!Total
!Total
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Assam]]|| ||? || ||?|| ||1?
|align=left|[[Assam]]|| 1||0 || ||2|| ||1
|4
|4
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Ajmer-Merwara]]|| || || ||1 || || ||1
|align=left|[[Ajmer-Merwara]]|| || || ||1 || || ||1
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Bengal]]||3 ||? || ||?|| ||5?
|align=left|[[Bengal]]||3 ||1 || ||6||1 ||6
|17
|17
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Bihar and Orissa]]|| ||? || ||?|| || ||12
|align=left|[[Bihar]]|| ||1 || ||6|| || 3||10
|-
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Bombay]]|| 2 || ? ||   || ? ||  ||2?
|align=left|[[Orissa]]|| || || ||2|| || ||2
|16
|-
|align=left|[[Bombay]]|| 2 || 1 ||  || 6 || 2 ||3
|14
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Central Provinces]]|| || ? ||  || ? || ? ||1?
|align=left|[[Central Provinces]]|| || ||  || 4 || 1 ||1
|6
|6
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Delhi]]|| ||  ||  || 1 ||  || ||1
|align=left|[[Delhi]]|| ||  ||  || 1 ||  || ||1
|-
|-
|align=left|[[1934 Madras Presidency legislative council election|Madras]]|| 1 || ? ||  || ? || ? ||3?
|align=left|[[1934 Madras Presidency legislative council election|Madras]]|| 1 || ||  || 10 || 2 ||3
|16
|16
|-
|-
|align=left|[[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier Province]]||  ||    ||  ||  || 1<ref>History Modern India, S. N. Sen {{ISBN|8122417744}}</ref> || 0||1
|align=left|[[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier Province]]||  ||    ||  ||  || 1<ref>History Modern India, S. N. Sen {{ISBN|8122417744}}</ref> || 0||1
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]]||  || ? || 2 ([[Akali Dal]]) || ? ||  ||6<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mujahid |first1=Sharif al |title=1945-46 Elections and Pakistan: Punjab’s Pivotal Role |journal=Pakistan Vision |date=2010 |volume=11 |issue=1 |url=http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/studies/PDF-FILES/Artical%20No-1.pdf |publisher=Pakistan Study Centre |issn=1681-5742}}</ref> ||12
|align=left|[[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]]||  || 1 || 2 ([[Akali Dal]]) || 3 ||  ||6<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mujahid |first1=Sharif al |title=1945-46 Elections and Pakistan: Punjab's Pivotal Role |journal=Pakistan Vision |date=2010 |volume=11 |issue=1 |url=http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/studies/PDF-FILES/Artical%20No-1.pdf |publisher=Pakistan Study Centre |issn=1681-5742}}</ref> ||12
|-
|-
|align=left|[[Sind Province (1936–55)|Sind]]||  || ? || ||  ||  || ||3?
|align=left|[[Sind Province (1936–55)|Sind]]||  || || ||1 ||  || 1||2
|-
|-
|align=left|[[United Provinces of British India|United Provinces]]|| 1 || ? || 0 || ? || ? ||4?
|align=left|[[United Provinces of British India|United Provinces]]|| 1 || 1 || || 8 || ||6
|16
|16
|-
|-
|align=left|'''Total'''|| '''8''' || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''49'''<ref name="auto"/> || '''10''' ||30 ||'''102?'''
|align=left|'''Total'''|| '''8''' || '''5''' || '''2''' || '''50'''<ref name="auto"/> || '''7''' ||30 ||'''102'''
|}
|}


==Elected members==
==Members of the Central Legislative Assembly==
{{see|Constituent_Assembly_of_India#Members (by province/state)}}
<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.11657/page/n121/mode/2up|title=The Indian Year Book|editor=[[Stanley Reed (British politician)|Reed, Sir Stanley]]|year=1947|page=75|chapter=The Indian Legislative Assembly}}</ref>
* '''President:''' [[Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar]]
* '''Deputy President:''' [[Muhammad Yamin Khan|Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan]]
* '''Secretary:''' [[M. N. Kaul]]
* '''Deputy Secretary:''' [[M. V. H. Collins]]
* '''Assistant Secretary:''' [[A. J. M. Atkinson]]
* '''Marshal:''' [[Nur Ahmed Khan|Khan Bahadur Sardar Nur Ahmed Khan]]
 
===Nominated members===
* '''Nominated Officials:''' [[Jawaharlal Nehru|Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru]], [[Liaquat Ali Khan]], [[Vallabhbhai Patel|Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]], [[Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar]], [[Asaf Ali]], [[Chakravarti Rajagopalachari]], [[John Matthai|Doctor John Matthai]], [[Jagjivan Ram]], [[Jogendra Nath Mandal]], [[Sir George Spence]], [[Samuel Harrison Yardley Oulsnam]], [[Binay Ranjan Sen]], [[Balwant Singh Puri]], [[S. C. Joshi]], [[K. G. Ambegaonkar|Krishnanath Ganesh Ambegaonkar]], [[Ram Nath (politician)|Ram Nath]], [[M. V. Rangachari]], [[Wilfred Harold Shoobert|Sir Wilfred Harold Shoobert]], [[B. K. Gokhale]], [[Govardhan Shankerlal Bhalja]], [[Pheroze Merwan Kharegat|Sir Pheroze Merwan Kharegat]], [[E. Ingoldsby|Sir E. Ingoldsby]]
* '''Nominated Non-Officials:''' [[Frank Anthony|Frank R. Anthony]], [[Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee|Lieutenant Colonel Doctor J. C. Chatterjee]], [[N. Sivaraj|Rao Bahadur Namasivayam Sivaraj]], [[Maniben Kara]], [[S. Guruswami]], [[Sir Cowasji Jehangir, 2nd Baronet]], [[D. M. Bhattacharya|Rai Bahadur D. M. Bhattacharya]], [[Ahmed Ali Khan Alvi|Raja Saiyid Ahmed Ali Khan Alvi]], [[Chaudhri Sir Chand]], [[Khan Bahadur Sharbat Khan]], [[Ramachandra Mardaraj Deo|Raja Bahadur Ramachandra Mardaraj Deo]], [[Sardar Harendra Singh|Captain Sardar Harendra Singh]], [[P. G. Solanki|Doctor P. G. Solanki]], [[Himmatsinhji (general)|Colonel Kumar Shri Himmatsinhji]], [[Lieutenant Commander Aftab Ali]], [[D. D. Howell Thomas]] (European), [[L. S. Vaidyanathan]]
 
===Elected members===
* '''Ajmer-Merwara:''' [[Mukat Behari Lal Bhargava]]
* '''Assam:''' [[Rohini Kumar Chaudhuri]] (Assam Valley General), [[Arun Kumar Chanda]] (Surma Valley cum Shillong General), [[Nawab Ali Asghar Khan]] (Muslim), [[P. J. Griffiths]] (European)
* '''Bengal:''' [[Sarat Chandra Bose]], [[Nagendranath Mukherjee]], [[Debendra Lal Khan|Babu Debendra Lal Khan]], [[Shashanka Shekhar Sanyal]], [[Kshitish Chandra Neogy]], [[Satyapriya Banerjee|Babu Satyapriya Banerjee]], [[Abdur Rahman Siddiqui]], [[Hassan Suhrawardy|Sir Hassan Suhrawardy]], [[Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan]] (Dacca-cum-Mymensingh Muslim), Haji Chowdhury Muhammad Ismail Khan (Burdwan & Presidency Muslim), Shaikh Rafiuddin Ahmad Siddique (Chittagong Muslim), [[Shah Abdul Hamid]] (Rajshahi Muslim), [[Geoffrey W. Tyson]] (European), [[C. P. Lawson]] (European), [[M. A. F. Hirtzel]] (European), [[Dhritikanta Lahiri Choudhury|Babu Dhritikanta Lahiri Choudhury]] (Landholders), [[Ananda Mohan Poddar]]
* '''Bihar & Orissa:''' [[Satya Narayan Sinha]] (Darbhanga cum Saran General), [[Bepin Bihari Verma]] (Muzaffarpur-cum-Champaran General), [[Bhagirathi Mahapatra]] (Orissa General), [[Sri Jagannathdas]] (Orissa General), [[Ramayan Prasad]], [[Gauri Shankar Saran Singh]], [[Banarsi Prasad Jhunjhunwala]] (Bhagalpur, Purnea & Santhal districts General), [[Ram Narayan Singh]] (Hazaribagh General), [[Muhammad Nauman]], [[Chowdhry Muhammad Abid Hussain]], [[Khan Bahadur Habibur Rahman]], [[Madan Dhari Singh]]
* '''Bombay:''' Dr. Gopalrao V. Deshmukh (Bombay City General), [[R. Masani]], [[Seth Sukhdev|Sukhdev Udhavdas]] (Sind General), [[Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar]] (Bombay Northern General), [[Ahmed Ebrahim Haroon Jaffer]] (Bombay Central Muslim), [[Narhar Vishnu Gadgil]] (Bombay Central General), [[B. S. Hiray]], [[D. P. Karmarkar|Dattatraya Parashuram Karmarkar]] (Bombay Southern General), [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] (Bombay City Muslim), [[Abdullah Haroon|Seth Abdullah Haroon]] (Sind Muslim), [[Mahomed Musa Killedar]] (Bombay Northern Muslim), [[H. G. Stokes]] (European), [[Leslie Gwilt]] (European), [[Manu Subedar]], [[Sardar Narayanrao Ganpatrao Vinchoorkar]], [[Vadilal Lallubhai]]
* '''Central Provinces and Berar:''' [[Prasadrao Keshavrao Salve]], [[G. B. Dani]], [[P. B. Gole]], [[Seth Govind Das]] (Hindi Divisions), Khan Saheb Nawab Siddique Ali Khan (Muslim), Seth Sheodass Daga (Landholders)
* '''Delhi:''' [[Asaf Ali]]
* '''Madras:''' [[Ammu Swaminathan]], [[N. Narayana Murthy]], [[V. Gangaraju]], [[N. G. Ranga|Nayukulu Gogineni Ranga]] (Guntur-cum-Nellore General), [[M. A. Ayyangar|Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar]] (Madras ceded districts & Chittoor General), [[V. C. Vellingiri Gounder]], [[R. Venkatasubba Reddiar]], [[T. V. Satakopa Chari]], [[S. T. Adityan]], [[A. Karunakara Menon]], [[Muhammad Rahmatullah]], [[J. Jamal Moideen Saib]], [[Haji Abdul Sathar Haji Essak Seit]] (West Coast & Nilgiris Muslim), [[Ralph Camroux Morris]] (European), [[M. K. Jinachandran]], [[T. A. Ramalingam|Tiruppur Angappa Ramalingam Chettiar]] (Salem & Coimbatore cum North Arcot General)
* '''NWFP:''' [[Abdul Ghaffar Khan]]
* '''Punjab:''' [[Thakur Das Bhargava]], [[Raizada Hans Raj]] (Jullundur General), [[Diwan Chaman Lall]] (West Punjab General), [[Syed Ghulam Bhik Nairang]] (East Punjab Muslim), [[Zafar Ali Khan]] (East Central Punjab Muslim), [[Hafiz Mohammad Abdullah]] (West Central Punjab Muslim), [[Muhammad Mehr Shah|Nawab Sahibzada Sayed Sir Muhammad Mehr Shah]] (North Punjab Muslim),Muhammad yousaf khan Golra[North punjab muslim], [[Syed Abid Hussain Shah]], [[Sher Shah Jeelani|Khan Bahadur Makhdum Syed Sher Shah Jeelani]], [[Mangal Singh|Sardar Mangal Singh]] (East Punjab Sikh), [[Sampuran Singh|Sardar Sampuran Singh]] (West Punjab Sikh), [[Surjit Singh Majithia|Squadron Leader Sardar Surjit Singh Majithia]]
* '''United Provinces:''' [[Pandit Balkrishna Sharma]], Krishna Chandra Sharma, Pandit Sri Krishna Dutta Paliwal (Agra General), Seth Damodar Swaroop, [[Govind Malaviya|Pandit Govind Malaviya]], [[Sri Prakasa]] (Allahabad & Jhansi General), [[Mohanlal Saksena]], [[Jogendra Singh (politician)|Sardar Jogendra Singh]], [[Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan|Muhammad Ismail Khan]], [[Muhammad Yamin Khan|Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan]] (Agra Muslim), [[Liaquat Ali Khan|Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan]], [[Khan Bahadur Hafiz M. Ghazanfarulla]], [[Ziauddin Ahmad|Doctor Sir Ziauddin Ahmad]] (UP Southern Muslim), [[Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan|Khan Bahadur Raja Mohammad Amir Ahmad Khan]], [[A. C. Inskip]] (European), [[Vijaya Ananda|Sir Vijaya Ananda]]


==See also==
==See also==
Line 117: Line 137:
{{Pakistani elections}}
{{Pakistani elections}}


[[Category:1945 elections in India]]
[[Category:1945 elections in India|General]]
[[Category:1945 elections in Asia]]
[[Category:1945 elections in Asia|India]]
[[Category:General elections in Bangladesh|1945]]
[[Category:December 1945 in Asia|India]]
[[Category:General elections in India|1945]]
[[Category:1945 elections in the British Empire|India]]
[[Category:General elections in Pakistan|1945]]
[[Category:General elections in British India]]
[[Category:Central Legislative Assembly of India]]
[[Category:December 1945 events]]
[[Category:1945 elections in the British Empire]]

Latest revision as of 16:29, 25 January 2026


1945 Indian general election
← 1934 December 1945 1946 →
102 elected seats
52 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Abul Kalam Azad[1] Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Party INC All-India Muslim League
Seats won 57 30
Seat change Increase 15 Increase 30
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General elections were held in British India in December 1945 to elect members of the Central Legislative Assembly and the Council of State.[2] Election under Government of India Act 1935 were held with limited franchise and only around 10% of the population in direct British controlled provinces were eligible to vote based on their income and property. The Indian National Congress emerged as the largest party, winning 57 of the 102 elected seats.[3] The Muslim League won all Muslim constituencies, but failed to win any other seats. Of the 13 remaining seats, 8 went to Europeans, 3 to independents, and 2 to Akali candidates in the Sikh constituencies of Punjab.[4] This election coupled with the provincial one in 1946 proved to be a strategic victory for Jinnah and the partitionists. Even though Congress won, the League had united the Muslim vote and as such it gained the negotiating power to seek a separate Muslim homeland as it became clear that a united India would prove highly unstable. The elected members later formed the Constituent Assembly of India.

These were the last general elections in British India, subsequent elections in Independent India were held in 1951.

Background[edit | edit source]

On 19 September 1945, the Viceroy Lord Wavell announced that elections to the central and provincial legislatures would be held in December 1945 to January 1946. It was also announced that an executive council would be formed and a constitution-making body would be convened after these elections.[2][5]

Although the Government of India Act 1935 had proposed an all-India federation, it could not take place because the government held that the Princely states were unwilling to join it. Consequently, rather than choosing 375 members, only 102 elective seats were to be filled. Hence the elections to the central legislature were held under the terms of the Government of India Act 1919.

Results[edit | edit source]

Central Legislative Assembly[edit | edit source]

PartySeats
Indian National Congress57
All-India Muslim League30
Akali Dal2
Europeans8
Independents5
Total102
Source: Schwartzberg Atlas[6]

One Independent member from Bengal representing the Commerce Constituency (Bengal Mahajan Sabha) had after his election joined the INC changing the tally of the INC to 58 and Independents to 4.[7]

Membership by province[edit | edit source]

Province Europeans Independent Minor parties Congress
(General/Non-Muhammadan) 		Congress
(Non-General) 		Muslim League Total
Assam 1 0 2 1 4
Ajmer-Merwara 1 1
Bengal 3 1 6 1 6 17
Bihar 1 6 3 10
Orissa 2 2
Bombay 2 1 6 2 3 14
Central Provinces 4 1 1 6
Delhi 1 1
Madras 1 10 2 3 16
North West Frontier Province 1[8] 0 1
Punjab 1 2 (Akali Dal) 3 6[9] 12
Sind 1 1 2
United Provinces 1 1 8 6 16
Total 8 5 2 50[4] 7 30 102

Members of the Central Legislative Assembly[edit | edit source]

[10]

Nominated members[edit | edit source]

Elected members[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Indian National Congress: From 1885 till 2017, a brief history of past presidents". indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vohra, Ranbir (19 December 2012). The Making of India: A Political History. M.E. Sharpe. p. 176. ISBN 9780765629852.
  3. ↑ "-- Schwartzberg Atlas -- Digital South Asia Library". dsal.uchicago.edu.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "-- Schwartzberg Atlas -- Digital South Asia Library". dsal.uchicago.edu.
  5. ↑ Sen, S. N. (1997). History of the Freedom Movement in India (1857-1947). New Age International. p. 317. ISBN 9788122410495.
  6. ↑ "-- Schwartzberg Atlas -- Digital South Asia Library". dsal.uchicago.edu.
  7. ↑ "Return showing the Results of Elections to the Central Legislative Assembly" (PDF). Delhi: Manager of Government of India Press. 1948. Retrieved 2025-09-01.
  8. ↑ History Modern India, S. N. Sen ISBN 8122417744
  9. ↑ Mujahid, Sharif al (2010). "1945-46 Elections and Pakistan: Punjab's Pivotal Role" (PDF). Pakistan Vision. 11 (1). Pakistan Study Centre. ISSN 1681-5742.
  10. ↑ Reed, Sir Stanley, ed. (1947). "The Indian Legislative Assembly". The Indian Year Book. p. 75.

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