Main points of the report:
1. India was to remain within the empire, but was to have a status like the dominions.
2. A responsible government was to be established.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
3. The fundamental rights of speech and association of citizens were to be guaranteed.
4. The House of People was to be consisting of 500 members chosen on the basis of audit franchise.
5. The Upper House was to be consisting of 200 members chosen by the Provincial Councils.
6. The principle of separate electrorate was not accepted except to a limited extent.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
7. The acceptance of adult franchise joint electorates with reservation of seats in some areas only for a ten year period.
The responsibilities to the legislature of the executive and provincial autonomy were some other features.
The importance of the Nehru Report becomes more extent when we compare it with the Simon Commission Report of 1930.
1. Nehru Report accepted dominion status and responsible government but the Simon Report accepted only or irresponsible centre. Only at provincial level was there to be limited responsible government.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
2. Nehru Report provided for the fundamental rights of the citizen and a Supreme Court. Simon Report was silent on both.
3. Whereas Nehru Report accepted adult franchise Simon Report rejected it.
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convincingly demonstrated Indian legal and political expertise. It marked an important advance in the direction of constitution making.
However, even within the congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subash Chandra Bose were dissatisfied with the Nehru report and were not satisfied with the demand of mere dominion status.
The Muslim league opposed the Nehru Report. Their demands were elaborated by Jinnah in the form of an amendment at the representative convention of Calcutta (22 Dec.1928) which reviewed the Nehru Report adopted by all parties conference.
(a)The Muslims should have one-third representation in the central legislature.
(b) The Punjab and Bengal legislature should have Muslim representation on the basis of population for 10 years in the event of adult suffrage not being granted.
(c) Residuary powers should be vested in the provinces and not in the centre.
Jinnah’s Fourteen Points:
The Muslim League meeting at Delhi (28 March 1929) repudiated the Nehru Constitution and gave an elaboration of the minimum of the Muslim demands in the form of “fourteen points” viz.
1. The form of the future Constitution of India should be federal with residuary powers vested in the provinces.
2. A uniform measure of autonomy should be granted to all provinces.
3. All legislatures in the country and other elected bodies shall be constituted on the principle of adequate and effective representation of minorities in every province without reducing the majority in any province to a majority or even equality.
4. In the central legislature, Muslim representation shall not be less than 1/3rd.
5. Representation of communal groups shall continue to be by means of separate electorates as at present.
6. Any territorial redistribution that might anytime be necessary shall not in any way affect the Muslim majority in the Punjab, Bengal and N.W.F. Province.
7. Full religious liberty of belief, and observance, and education shall be guaranteed to all communities.
8. No Bill or resolution shall be passed in any legislature if 3/4th members of any community in that particular body oppose such a bill as injurious to that community.
9. Sind shall be separated from the Bombay presidency.
10. Reforms should be introduced in the N.W.F. Province and Baluchistan on the same fooring as in the other provinces.
11. Provision should be made in the constitution for giving the Muslim adequate share in all services and in local self-governing bodies.
12. The Constitution should embody adequate safeguards for the protection of Muslim culture, education, language, religion etc.
13. No cabinet central or provincial should be formed without there being a proportion of at least one-third Muslim ministers.
14. No change shall be made in the Constitution by the central legislature except with the occurrence of the states constituting the Indian federation.