Federal political system resolve the problem of premature dissolutions of government in

4.2 
History of Constitutional Instruments 
The constitutions of Pakistan have evolved from these preceding colonial 
constitutional instruments. It is important, before evaluating the four phases of 
Pakistan’s constitutional history using the key factors, to describe the 
constitutional instruments in some detail. 
The British attempt to articulate and define the province-centre relationship 
resulted in the creation of the Indian Council Act 1892. According to this Act, local 
representatives were involved in the government. This Act also incorporated 
enlargement of legislative councils and elective elements to the government,
180
which resulted for the first time in the adoption of elections (albeit indirect). 
Nevertheless, this Act also retained the overriding powers of the Governor General 
in Council. 
175
Ibid. 
176
For example the Regulatory Acts of 1784, 1793, 1833, 1853. 
177
Asok Chanda, Federalism in India (George Allen & Unwin 1965). 
178
ibid. 
179
Lucy Sutherland, The East India Company in Eighteenth Century Politics (The Clarendon Press 
1952). 
180
Arthur Berriedale Keith, A Constitutional History of India 1600 - 1935 (Halcyon Press 1961) 208. 

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45 
Soon after the adoption of the 1892 Act, the British Government realised the need 
for decentralisation and for the involvement of locals in the government.
181
The 
Royal Commission of Decentralisation (1907), appointed by Edward VII, 
recommended limiting the role of the Government of India, which resulted in the 
Indian Council Act 1909.
182
This Act enhanced the first dimensional representation 
feature of the country. Nevertheless, it did not improve the relations, or co-
ordination, between the centre and the provinces.
183
The 1909 Act modified through 
the Government of India Act 1912, gave some financial powers to the provinces to 
frame their budget. As a result of the continuous motivation and struggle of the two 
largest political parties i.e. Congress and the Muslim League, and the break out of 
the First World War, a declaration was made by the British Government promising 
new constitutional reforms.
184
These reforms resulted in the creation of the 
Government of India Act 1919. 
The Act of 1919 introduced a bicameral legislature at the centre,
185
which comprised 
at the time the Legislative Assembly (lower house) and the Council of State (Upper 
House). The Act also divided powers between the centre and the provinces, leaving 
the Governor General with residuary powers.
186
The Governor General also 
appointed provincial governors who would report to him. The same rule is in place 
to date in Pakistan, which appears redundant now since their offices do not have 
operational powers under the constitution.
It is reasonable to suggest that the Government of India Act 1919 made some 
progression towards provincial autonomy by sharing some of the federal powers - 
including financial powers - between the centre and the provinces. Nevertheless, 
the reform did not address the issue of disparity of representation amongst 
federating units.
187
The political parties AIML and Congress were not satisfied with 
the distribution of powers and launched movements against British Imperialism, 
i.e. the Khilafat Movement and the non-cooperation movement respectively.
188
181
Asok Chanda, Federalism in India (London: George Allen & Unwin 1965). 
182
S R Sharma, Panchayati Raj and Education, vol II (New Delhi: Mittal Publications 1994) 97. 
183
Asok Chanda, Federalism in India (London: George Allen & Unwin 1965). 
184
Edwin Montagu’s announcement of " Responsible Government" (1917) in Hermann Kulke and 
Dietmar Rothermund, A History of India (Routledge: 2016)
185
Government of India Act 1919. 
186
ibid. 
187
For example, the partition of Bengal and uneven representation in provinces such as Sindh and 
Bombay. 
188
Asok Chanda, Federalism in India (George Allen & Unwin 1965). 

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46 
From 1927, both the prominent parties AIML (ethnic minority party) and Congress 
(majority party) started demanding a federal model in India.
189
AIML wanted a 
federation with a weaker centre whereas Congress was in favour of stronger central 
government as they were in the majority and could therefore dominate the centre. 
This unsettling dispute triggered the Simmon Commission in 1930 favouring a 
federal government in a united India and ultimately the Government of India Act 
1935 was passed by the British Government.
190
Although the Government of India Act 1935 can be regarded as the first ever federal 
constitution for India and later for Pakistan too, it is argued that it lacked the key 
factors of democratic federalism identified in Chapter 3. Critically, there were no 
provisions for the second dimensional representation or separation of powers.
After its creation in 1947, it took Pakistan nine years to produce the first 
Constitution in 1956.
191
The country was run under the Government of India Act 
1935 during the early stages after its partition from India. The 1935 Act did not 
have significant influence over the running of the governmental machinery because 
it was not a piece of legislation which was passed by the sovereign legislature of 
Pakistan. Until 1956, the country only had a document called the 'Objectives 
Resolution' adopted in 1949 that laid down the foundations of future constitutions 
in Pakistan.
192
This also served as a preamble for the constitutions of 1956, 1962 
and 1973 and has been annexed to the current constitution of Pakistan since 
1985.
193