The Elections in India The provincial elections in India have
been pursuing their course, and are passing almost unnoticed here, important though they manifestly are. The Congress Party is in most provinces reaping the benefit of organisation which, if not elaborate, is at any rate more efficient than that of any other party. As a result, Congress candidates will form a majority in Bihar and Orissa ; in Assam they form the largest single party, but with only 35 seats out of 1o8. In Bengal, too, they will be the largest party. How far the Congress members, or those of any other group, in the new Assemblies will in practice hold together is doubtful ; new alignments of some interest may develop. Meanwhile it is of interest that the elections have been carried through not only peacefully but with smooth efficiency, the voters including a large number of women. This all, of course, concerns the Provincial Legislatures only, which come into being in April, but obstacles to the institution of the new Federal Govern- ment are being steadily cleared away by the conversations now in progress between the Princes and the Viceroy. King George finds it impossible to arrange a visit to India for a Coronation Durbar next winter, but the delay makes it virtu- ally certain that he will be able to inaugurate the new Federa- tion. It may indeed be ready before he is.
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