Chennai: The centenary celebrations of the Tamilnadu legislature is getting a kicstart today in the presence of President Ram Nath Kovind.
The occasion is significant for more than one reason. The House has passed several epoch-making legislation, beginning with voting rights for women in 1921.
The DMK takes pride in celebrating its roots, and now, the centenary of the Madras Legislative Council is yet another occasion for that since the history of this legislative body began with the rule of the Justice Party that later blossomed into the Dravidian movement.
It is an irony of sorts that on the centenary of Tamilnaduās Legislative Council, it stands abolished. While the DMK government made several attempts to revive it, the AIADMK had steadfastly opposed the idea.
Tamilnadu witnessed elections in November 1920 when electors (only men), accounting for just 3 per cent of the population, were enrolled, as a result of the Montagu-Chelmsford Report and the Government of India Act of 1919. The development paved the way for a more representative body than what it was till then.
The first elected legislature in the State, originally called the Madras Legislative Council, was established in 1921 under the Government of India Act, 1919. The term of the Council was three years. It consisted of 132 members, of which 34 were nominated by the Governor and the rest were elected. The Council met for the first time on 9 January, 1921 at Fort St George, and was later formally inaugurated by the Duke of Connaught, a paternal uncle of the King of England, on 12 January, 1921 on the request of the Governor, Lord Wellington.
The first Ministry of the Justice Party, a precursor to the present DMK, saw to it that two government orders (G.O.), famously called āCommunal G.O.sā, were issued in September 1921 and August 1922.
Enactment of Hindu Religious Endowment Act in 1926, abolition of the Devadasi system, the introduction of issuing free pattas to the poor for housing sites, and the introduction of the mid-day meal scheme in Chennai were among the important social justice measures of the Justice Party.
Former Chief Minister C N Annadurai likened the Assembly and Council to a cup and saucer, saying while tea would be too hot to drink and required a saucer to cool it down, so too bills and resolutions which witnessed a heated debate in the assembly would have a calm discussion in the ācouncil of eldersā. The council was abolished in 1986.
In 1989, 1996 and 2006, when the DMK was in power, it brought forward resolutions to revive the council but subsequent AIADMK governments led by J Jayalalalithaa withdrew the resolution.