In the House of Lords on Thursday, the India Councils
Bill being in Committee, Lord Northbrook moved, and the Government accepted, a noteworthy amendment. It provides that the Viceroy, with the approval of the Secretary of State, may from time to time legally regulate the conditions under which nominations to the different Councils shall be made. The intention of that amendment is to provide for the admis- sion of representative members whenever feasible, and it will not only allow of experiments in the Presidencies according to their advance in civilisation, but will admit of an original modification of the representative scheme which we should greatly like to see tried. The " Regulations " might vest the Viceroy with a power of rejecting the elected member for cause mentioned in his order, and so keep out men of bad character, men who have attempted obstruction, or men who notoriously intend to use their position for treasonable purposes. It must be remembered that the election contemplated is not popular elec- tion, with which any restriction on choice would be inconsistent, but the representation of classes, which may be moved by views entirely contrary to the true interests of India. The ultimate end of this movement will probably be Councils for the Presidencies much on the Ceylon plan, with a revising auto- cracy still deposited in the Viceregal Government.
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