The bond of alliance between the Congress and the Muslim League was cemented by the conclusion of the Lucknow Pact in 1916. In this context answer the following questions:

(a) What were the three main factors that led to the signing of the Lucknow Pact?

(b) What were the three main features (terms) of the Lucknow Pact?

(c) What were the two main drawbacks of the Lucknow Pact?

(a) The three main factors that led to the signing of the Lucknow Pact were-

1. Changes in the Objects of the Muslim League — The younger generation of educated Muslims began to realise that their interests were not different from those of their other countrymen. In 1913 the Muslim League had amended its Constitution. It was now demanding "self-government" for India under the protection of the British Crown.
2. International Events — International events also distanced the league from the government. In the First World War Turkey had to fight against Great Britain. The Turkish ruler was the Caliph or religious head of the muslims. Therefore, the muslim leaders like Muhammad Ali and his brother Shaukat Ali encouraged the anti-british feelings among the muslims in India.
3. A Compromise between the two Factions of the Congress — Mrs. Annie Besant made efforts to reunite the two wings of the Congress — the early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists. Tilak and his followers rejoined the Congress in 1916.

(b) The three main features of the Lucknow Pact were as follows:

1. Provincial Legislatures — Four-fifths of the members of the Provincial Legislatures were to be elected and one-fifth nominated. The number of muslim members was laid down province by province. On the whole, the proportion of muslim members was large, for example, 50 per cent in Punjab, 40 per cent in Bengal and 30 per cent in U.P. They were to be elected through separate electorates.
2. Imperial Legislative Council — The Imperial, i.e., the Central Legislative Council was to consist of 150 members. Of these four-fifths were to be elected and one-fifth nominated. One-third of the elected members were to be muslims.
3. Governor-General's Executive Council — Half the Members of the Viceroy's Executive Council should be Indians, elected by the elected members of the Imperial Legislative Council.

(c) The two main drawbacks of the Lucknow Pact were as follows-

1. The pact kept alive the system of separate electorates. The Congress, being a secular organisation, should not have agreed to any scheme of separate (Communal) electorates for muslims.
2. The pact provided for muslim representation in the councils far in excess of their proportion in the total population.