Provincial elections were held in British India in the winter of 1936-37 as mandated by the Government of India Act 1935. Elections were held in eleven provinces – Madras, Central Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, United Provinces, Bombay Presidency, Assam, NWFP, Bengal, Punjab and Sindh.The final results of the elections were declared in February 1937. The Indian National Congress emerged in power in eight of the provinces – the exceptions being Punjab and Sindh. The All-India Muslim League failed to form the government in any province.
The Congress ministries resigned in October and November 1939, in protest against Viceroy Lord Linlithgow’s action of declaring India to be a belligerent in the Second World War without consulting the Indian people.
Consequences:
- Perfect ground for alienation and mass movement which culminated in the form of Quit India movement.
- QIM was the large mass movement which compelled British to flee India.
- Muslim league was able to convince the muslims of NWFP and Eastern Bangladesh that their interest do not converge with majority and Jinnah came out as the champion of Muslim with demand of separate nation started to find voice among Muslim class.
- It was the symbolic move too that responsible government can not be run with whims and fancies and without taking them into consensus.