Vardaan Learning Institute
Chapter 6: National Movement during First World War
PART G: The Lucknow Pact (1916)
Fact
The Lucknow Pact was a historic agreement between the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League, signed at Lucknow in December 1916.
Signatories: Bal Gangadhar Tilak representing the INC (the Congress moderates and extremists had reunited) and Muhammad Ali Jinnah representing the Muslim League.
Key Provisions of the Lucknow Pact
- The INC accepted the principle of separate electorates for Muslims — Muslim voters would only vote for Muslim candidates.
- Muslims were granted one-third reserved seats in the Central Legislative Council.
- Separate electorates were also accepted for other minority communities.
- The Muslim League accepted the goal of self-governance for India — they joined the Congress in demanding constitutional reforms from the British.
- Both organizations jointly presented their demands to the British.
Impact of the Lucknow Pact
- First time in history that the Congress and Muslim League came together to jointly demand political reforms — a rare moment of Hindu-Muslim unity.
- The nationalist movement was strengthened by this unity.
- Both organizations jointly presented their demands — the British could not play one community against the other as easily.
- Criticism: Congress conceding separate electorates strengthened communal politics in India — it created a precedent for dividing Indians along religious lines that would eventually contribute to Partition.
