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36-561: The Indian Councils Act 1861 set up the Bombay Legislative Council as an advisory body through which the colonial administration obtained advice and assistance. The Act empowered the provincial Governor to nominate four non-English Indian members to the council for the first time. Under the Act, the nominated members were allowed to move their own bills and vote on bills introduced in the council. However, they were not allowed to question

72-661: A bicameral legislature in the Bombay province. The Legislature consisted of the Governor and two Legislative bodies - a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council. The Council was a permanent body not subject to dissolution by the Governor and one-third of its members retired every three years. After India became independent in 1947 and the Indian Constitution was adopted in 1950, the Legislative Council continued to be

108-660: A different career thanks to various changes including the foundation of the Indian National Congress in 1885. In 1892 he joined the Mandvi Ward of the Bombay Municipal Corporation . He worked in the corporation for 26 years. In 1895 he warned of a plague outbreak in Bombay and it broke out in 1897 taking countless lives. By 1898 he had become President of the Standing Committee of the corporation. In

144-562: A member of the Bombay Legislative Council , the advisory body to the British government, in the same period [1899] thus starting a career as a parliamentarian. In August 1900 the Ismaili community honored him in a grand banquet. By 1904 during the conference of the Congress at Bombay, he was elected to a committee of that body to consider its constitution. All through the stormy period of 1907–1910, when

180-615: A non-official member of the Council further nominated him with a view to his eventual election as its president. When the nominations were announced on 19 February 1925 no one opposed the nomination. He became the first elected President of the Bombay Legislative Council. Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola was also an active participant in the deliberations of the All India Muslim League. He favored free and compulsory education during

216-416: A whole, but the legislative councils at Bombay and Madras were given the power to make laws for the "Peace and good Government" for only their respective presidencies. The Governor General was given the power to create new provinces for legislative purposes and could appoint Lieutenant Governors for the provinces. However, from India's point of view, the act did little to improve the influence of Indians in

252-528: Is named after him. Overall Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola remained a member of Bombay Legislative Council [1899-1912], Imperial Legislative Council [1913-1916], Government's Executive Council for Education and Local Self-Government [1918-1923], the President of Legislative Council Bombay [1923-1928], Member of Indian Legislative Assembly in 1931, President of the Indian Legislative Assembly [1931 to 1933],

288-676: The Order of the Star of India (KCSI) in the 1923 Birthday Honours list, and also received the silver Kaisar-i-Hind medal around the same time for his valuable services and generosity. In the 1935 Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE). The Bombay Municipality had given the name of the road between J.J. Hospital and Bhindi Bazaar as Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola Road. Aga Khan III [Sultan Mohammed Shah] regarded Sir Ibrahim highly and commented that he

324-574: The Pakistan Movement , later serving as the first high commissioner to the United Kingdom from Pakistan, Governor of Sindh and Governor of Punjab . He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in the 1907 New Year Honours list. On 12 December 1911, he was knighted in a special honours list issued for the 1911 Delhi Durbar . He was appointed a Knight Commander of

360-788: The 4th session at Nagpur in December 1910. He was a delegate to the first Hindu-Muslim Unity Conference, Allahabad, 1911 under the President ship of Sir William Wedderburn . He also became the President of AIML during the 7th session in Agra , 1913, and the Vice-President during the 9th session in Lucknow in December, 1916. He also presided the All India Muslim Educational Conference in Bombay on 27 December 1924. According to 'The Aga Khan and His Ancestors' (Bombay, 1939, p. 180), 'In

396-643: The AIML meeting in Agra as "the first in Islamic political literature soaked in Indian nationalism." Riding on waves of worldwide Islamic outrage after the 1911 Tripoli massacre , and the British position of "neutrality" in the matter, the League that year substantially modified its pro-British "loyal" position. Rahimtoola was re-elected for the second time in 1916. His most enduring work in

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432-530: The Act was of immense importance: "the act is a great experiment. That everything is changing in India is obvious enough, and that the old autocratic government cannot stand unmodified is indisputable." The 1861 Act restored the legislative powers of Bombay and Madras Presidencies taken away by the Charter Act of 1833 . The legislative council at Calcutta was given extensive authority to pass laws for British India as

468-599: The Bombay Presidency the community over which the Aga Khan presided with such distinction possess such eminent leaders as Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola who, like his revered leader, valiantly pressed Muslim claims.' Rahimtoola worked with pro-Congress leaders like Muhammad Ali Jauhar , Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Aga Khan , and brought in an amendment to the constitution of the League, adding statement 2(d), seeking “attainment under

504-538: The British Government to take Indian nationals into the administration of India. He argued in his pamphlet The Causes of the Indian Revolt that the failure of the British to admit Indians into the Legislative Council, prevented them from having any say in government policies that touched them directly and was the major cause behind the revolt. The Secretary of State for India , Sir Charles Wood , believed that

540-579: The British India Government to take due measure for the defense of vast Indian sea-coast . He published his article in 'The Times of India' in January, 1918 and emphasized the creation of the Indian Navy to protect the Indian coasts. The Imam also buttressed his views and according to N.M. Dumasia in 'The Aga Khan and His Ancestors' (Bombay, 1939, p. 237) that, 'The Aga Khan is strongly in favor of

576-510: The Central Division. The Council could discuss the annual financial statement and ask questions subject to certain limitations. The Indian Councils Act 1909 officially introduced the method of electing members to the Council, but did not provide for direct election of the members. It abolished automatic official (executive) majorities in the Council and gave its members the power to move resolutions upon matters of general public interest and

612-737: The Central Legislative Assembly. Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola was born in May 1862 in a well known merchant family in Bombay . He studied at the Elphinstone High School and showed aptitude in arithmetics, algebra and geometry. His failure in the matriculation exam of 1877 ended his scholastic career and he joined his father Rahimtoola Kaderbhoy and older brother Muhammad Rahimtoola in business. In 1880, his father died, and brothers were left without much experience in business. Rahimtoola then chose

648-607: The Chairman of Indian Fiscal Committee [1921] - the first Indian Muslim to hold this post, the member of Royal Commission on Labor in 1929 and also delegated to Round Table Conference London in 1930. On the social welfare front Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola was a member of Joint School Commission, the President of Muslim Gymkhana , Vice-President of Anujman-e-Islam, and the President of Mulji Jivraj Library. Ibrahim Rahimtoola died in June 1942 at Bombay, aged 80. His younger brother Jafar Rahimtoola

684-633: The Imperial Legislative Council was in the sphere of India's commercial and industrial progress. It was due largely to his efforts that the three important commissions - The Industrial, Railway and Fiscal Commissions, which have assisted to shape the Indian government's policy in regard to industries, railways and tariff, were appointed. He was appointed the President of the Fiscal Commission in October 1921. Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola also proposed

720-562: The Legislative Assembly after his retirement. But in May 1923 two months after his retirement from the Executive Council came the news of the demise of Sir Narayan Chandavarkar Ganesh [1855-1923], the nominated President of the Bombay Legislative Council. Rahimtoola at the earnest request of then Governor Sir George Lloyd accepted the presidency of the council. His term of the office terminated on 18 February 1925. The Governor as

756-620: The aegis of the British Crown a system of self Government suitable to India through constitutional means...” This marked an important shift in Indian Islamic attitudes from a position of loyalty to the government, to an alignment with the mainstream Hindu groups like the Indian National Congress . In November 1924, he was knighted by the British Raj . A street in Bhendi Bazaar , Bombay

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792-648: The budget and also to ask supplementary questions. Based on the recommendations of the Montague-Chelmsford report, the Government of India Act of 1919 was enacted. The Act enlarged the Bombay legislative council and increased the strength of elected members to be greater than that of nominated and official members. It introduced a system of dyarchy in the Provinces. The Government of India Act of 1935 abolished dyarchy and established provincial autonomy. It created

828-746: The bulk of the Muslims held aloof from the Indian National Congress, he lent his support equally to the Congress and the Muslim League . In 1904, he became the Sheriff of Bombay. With the advent of the Morley-Minto Reforms, he widened his activities to take full advantage of the added privileges. He was the first, at any rate in the Bombay Council to use the right of introducing private bills. It

864-584: The erstwhile Legislative Council of the then Bombay Province was held on 22 January 1862 at the Durbar Hall of the Town Hall in Bombay . The meeting was then chaired by the then Governor, Sir George Russell Clerk . The first five Indian members of the council were chosen such that three of them did not know English. In 1892, the role of the Council was expanded by the Indian Councils Act 1892 and increased

900-549: The executive, move resolutions or examine the budget and not interfere with the laws passed by the Central Legislature. The Governor was also the president of the Council and he had complete authority over when, where and how long to convene the Council and what to discuss. Two members of his Executive Council and the Advocate-General of Bombay were also allowed to participate and vote in the Council. The first meeting of

936-493: The legislative council. The role of council was limited to advice, and no financial discussion could take place. This article about the law of India is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ibrahim Rahimtullah Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola (May 1862 – June 1942) was a politician and legislator in British India . He served as Mayor of Bombay, Chairman of the Fiscal Commission and later as President of

972-554: The notable members. The Government of India Act of 1919 which introduced the concept of diarchy in the province further enlarged the council and gave the elected members a majority. The composition of the Council was as follows: 7 of the constituencies were reserved for Marathas. Indians were elected as the President of the Council such as N. G. Chandavarkar (1921-1923), Ibrahim Rahimtullah (1923) and Ali Muhammad Khan Dehlavi (1927). Indian Councils Act 1861 The Indian Councils Act 1861 ( 24 & 25 Vict. c. 67)

1008-525: The same year the Corporation deputed him as a representative on the Improvements Trust where he served for another twenty years [1898-1918]. The following year [1899] he was elected President Mayor of the corporation. He received tremendous encouragement from Sir Pherozesha Mehta , a well known luminary of Bombay. His work for the city was recognized and he was made a Justice of Peace [J.P]. He became

1044-686: The total number of members of the Council to twenty. The non-official members were to be nominated from the Bombay Municipal Corporation , the Fellows of Bombay University , the Chamber of Commerce of Bombay, the Chamber of Commerce of Karachi , the zamindars of Sind , the sardars of the Deccan, the municipalities of the Northern Division, the local boards of the Southern Division and three representatives of

1080-872: The upper chamber of the legislature of the Bombay State . The legislature of Bombay State ceased to exist in 1960 after the bifurcation of Bombay into Maharashtra and Gujarat . The Indian Councils Act 1909 expanded the strength of the legislative council to 49 (including the Governor) and introduced the indirect election of members to the Council. The legislative council was composed of Rafiuddin Ahmed , Sir Chinubhai Ranchhodlal , Lallubhai Shamaldas Mehta (1910-1912), R. P. Paranjpye (1912-1915), Sir Gokuldas Parekh (1912-1915), Vithalbhai Patel (1913-1920), Dinshaw Edulji Wacha (1915), Balkrishna Sitaram Kamat, Wadero Ghulam Kadir Dayo,(1913-1920) and Chunilal Mehta (1916) were among

1116-561: The view advanced by Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola that for the defense of the extensive sea-coast of India, there should be sufficient Indian material.' In the beginning of 1918, Sir Mahadev Chaubal retired from his membership of the Government of Bombay and the choice thus fell on Rahimtoola to fill that vacancy. It was a tribute to his eminence in public life and reputation for statesmanship. He also became an ordinary fellow of Bombay University by 1921. Sir Ibrahim had intended to seek election to

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1152-599: Was the most distinguished member our community has produced in Western India. Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola's portrait is present in the Lok Sabha Chamber of the Indian Parliament at Delhi. This was in connection with him being former President of the Central Legislative Assembly. President of India Pranab Mukherjee in his address to parliament in 2014 mentioned Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola as 'one of the former Presidents of

1188-648: Was also an active member of the Bombay Municipal Corporation and became Mayor in 1909. His elder son Sir Fazal Rahimtoola remained active in Indian Politics even after partition and was a staunch Indian Nationalist. His younger son Habib Rahimtoola was a close confidant of Jinnah and became one of the founding persons of Pakistan. He had one son and a daughter by his first wife. He married second time in 1903, having three sons and three daughters. One of his sons, Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola became involved in

1224-547: Was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that transformed India 's executive council to function as a cabinet run on the portfolio system. This cabinet had six "ordinary members", who each took charge of a separate department in Calcutta 's government: home, revenue, military, law, finance, and (after 1874) public works. The military Commander-in-Chief sat in with the council as an extraordinary member. The Executive Council

1260-477: Was enlarged by addition of fifth member. The Viceroy was allowed, under the provisions of the Act, to overrule the council on affairs if he deemed it necessary, as was the case in 1879, during the tenure of Lord Lytton . The Viceroy was allowed to issue ordinances lasting six months if the Legislative Council is not in session in an emergency. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , Sir Syed Ahmed Khan advised

1296-729: Was his Bill for the registration of charities that was introduced to the floor in 1910. Lord Thomas Sydenham , the then Governor, the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court , the Press and the general public supported the Bill accordingly. Towards the end of 1912 he sought election to the Imperial Legislative Council . In 1913, he was elected president of the All-India Muslim League . Abul Kalam Azad hailed his presidential speech at

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