The Simon Commission, also known as the Indian Statutory Commission, was a group of seven members from the British Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. It was constituted to report on the condition of India under its new Constitution.
It arrived in India on February 3, 1928, and was dissolved in 1930 after submitting the reports to the British Parliament.
About Simon Commission
In November 1927, the British government announced the appointment of a seven-member statutory Commission under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon which was aimed to report on the condition of India under its new constitution.
All the members of the commission were British (white persons) and hence all the parties boycotted the commission. The commission submitted its report in 1930 and suggested various administrative reforms in India which are given below in the next paragraph.
Highlights –
| Name | Simon Commission |
| Other Name | Indian Statutory Commission |
| Constituted in | 1927 |
| Chairman | Sir John Simon |
| Total members | 7 |
| Arrived in India | February 3, 1928 |
| Dissolved in | 1930 |
Recommendations
The Simon Commission was opposed by almost all Indians and it had to go back, however, the commission submitted its reports and recommended –
- the abolition of dyarchy,
- extension of responsible government in the provinces,
- establishment of the Federation of British India and princely states,
- continuation of the communal electorate and so on.
To consider the proposals of the commission the British Govt. convened “three round table” conferences of the representative of –
- the British government
- British India and
- Indian princely states.
Based on that discussion, a “White Paper on Constitutional Reform” was also furnished and put forward for the consideration of the Joint Select Committee of the British Parliament.
The recommendations of this committee were incorporated (with certain modifications) in the next ‘Government of India Act of 1935’.
Name of members of the Simon Commission
The commission was a group of 7 members, headed by Sir John Simon. The name of all members was –
| Member (s) Name | Experience |
|---|---|
| Sir John Simon | Ex. Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, and Chancellor of the Exchequer |
| Clement Attlee | Ex. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom |
| Harry Levy-Lawson | Ex-MP and member of the London County Council |
| Edward Cadogan | Ex-Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Commons, James Lowther |
| Vernon Hartshorn | Ex-MP, and President of the South Wales Miners’ Federation, Great Britain |
| George Lane-Fox | Ex. Secretary for Mines in UK Govt. |
| Donald Howard | Ex-MP, and Under-Secretary of State for War |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are the most important questions related to the Commission.
When did the Simon Commission arrive in India?
Simon Commission arrived in India in 1928. The British Parliament created this group and appointed Sir John Simon as head of the Group in November 1927. This Statutory Commission was sent to India and the same had arrived in India on February 3, 1928.
Who was the chairman of the Simon Commission?
Sir John Simon.
Why was Simon Commission boycotted?
The people of India were already indignant from the act conducted by General Dyer in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar on April 19, 1919. Since the Amritsar massacre took place the people were continuously showing dissent to the British Government and demanding independent India.
The British Government, in 1928 sent Simon Commission to India but there was no any Indian member in the group all members of the commission were British hence all parties boycotted the commission.
How many members were in the Simon Commission?
There was a total of 7 members. All were Britishers, there was no any Indian member in the group.
When did the Simon commission submit its reports?
It went back to Britain and submitted its reports to the British Parliament in 1930 and recommended some major administrative reforms under it.
Where did the in India Simon Commission arrive?
On 30 October 1928, the Commission arrived in Lahore. The Indians did not welcome it however a mass gathered and opposed the commission with black flags which were written: “Simon Go Back”.
Who was the leader of the opposition that had presented a resolution against the commission in the Assembly of Punjab in February 1928?
Lala Lajpat Rai
Which prominent person died on November 17, 1928, due to Police brutality during the protest?
One protest, led by nationalist Lala Lajpat Rai, became infamous against the Commission. Lala Lajpat Rai was the person who moved a resolution (February 1928) against the commission for the very first time in the Legislative Assembly of Punjab.
On 30 October 1928, the Commission arrived in Lahore where it was unwelcomed by protesters showing black flags. The local police forcibly tried to disperse the crowd and mercilessly beat the protesters. Lala Lajpat Rai sustained serious injuries and died after weeks.
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