Evolution of Constitutional Government and Assam Legislatures

There are historical works on the evolutionary emergence of people’s voice and their democratic representation and participation in various organs of Governance, namely, Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. This came through the evolution and development of self-governing institutions or local bodies such as Panchayats, Local Boards and Municipalities. This again came through the phases of full nomination, partial nomination and election and only election. Franchise also evolved very slowly. Adult franchise was introduced only after the Independence. It was felt that Assam did not attract proper and adequate attention and recognition as a part and parcel of the Indian mainstream in the struggle for constitutional progress. In every stage of the demand and the reforms, Assam had to struggle for finding a legitimate place for herself and played an appropriate role. Since the Treaty of Yandabo, Assam had to pass through vassalage, annexation and experiments beginning with Political Agency. Then it became a Commissioner’s Division of the Bengal Presidency, a Chief commissioner’s Province, then again a part of Eastern Bengal and Assam Province, a Chief commissionerate outside Bengal, a Governor’s province and finally an Autonomous Province. Under the Government of India Act of 1935, which embodied the last pre-independence reforms. This book specifically and elaborately studies Assam’s loud voice and good role in every stage of these reforms which were successfully implemented as well as in the evolution and working of electoral politics towards democracy.