21. COMMUNAL AWARD, 1932 AND POONA PACT, 1932

21. COMMUNAL AWARD, 1932 AND POONA PACT, 1932

Communal Award (16 August 1932)

• Announced by British PM Ramsay MacDonald.
• Extended the principle of separate electorates to the Depressed Classes (Scheduled Castes/"Untouchables"), in addition to existing separate electorates for Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Anglo-Indians, and Europeans.
• Gandhi strongly opposed separate electorates for the Depressed Classes (fearing it would permanently divide Hindu society) and went on an indefinite fast unto death in Yerwada Jail, Pune (September 1932).

Poona Pact (24 September 1932)

• Signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (representing the Depressed Classes).
• Replaced separate electorates for the Depressed Classes with a system of reserved seats within the general (joint) electorate.
• Number of reserved seats for Depressed Classes in provincial legislatures was increased from what the Communal Award had given (from 71 to 147 in provincial legislatures; 18% of seats in the Central Legislature), but elected through joint electorates instead of separate ones.

Key Facts

• Communal Award: 1932, by Ramsay MacDonald; extended separate electorates to Depressed Classes
• Poona Pact: 24 September 1932, between Gandhi & Ambedkar; joint electorate + reserved seats replaced separate electorate