The British Government sent the Simon Commission to India in 1928. In this connection, explain the following points :

(a) Purpose of its appointment.

(b) Recommendations of the Commission.

(c) Its impact on Indian political life.

(a) The Simon Commission was appointed in November, 1927 to report about the extent to which the Act of 1919 had worked successfully and to go into the question of further constitutional reforms.

(b) The recommendations made by the Simon Commission are given below:

1. Dyarchy should be abolished and there should be complete autonomy in the Provinces including the department of law and order, but the Governor should be given overriding powers in certain matters like the internal security.
2. Provincial Legislative Councils should be enlarged.
3. Federal government at the Centre, should embrace not only British India but also the Princely States.
4. The Governor-General should select and appoint members of his Cabinet.
5. British troops and British officers should stay on in Indian regiments for many more years.
6. High Courts should be under the administrative control of the Government of India.
7. The Communal representation was to continue.

(c) Simon Commission was boycotted by the Indians when it arrived in India in February 1928 because all its members were English and there was no Indian member in it.

1. The British action was seen as violation of the principle of self-determination and a deliberate insult to Indians. Lajpat Rai led the demonstration against the Commission at Lahore, and was fatally wounded due to lathi-charges.
2. The Civil Disobedience Movement was launched as a protest against this Commission.
3. The Nehru Report and the demand for Poorna Swaraj were also the off shoots of the political excitement created by the protests against Simon Commission.