Q. Ilbert Bill was prepared for abolishing judicial disqualification based on racial distinction. The bill was vehemently criticised by the Europeans living in India. Who was the Governor-General at that time?
(a) Lord Ripon
(b) Lord Dalhousie
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) Lord Chelmsford
Ans: (a) Lord Ripon
Explanation: The Governor-General at the time of the Ilbert Bill controversy was (a) Lord Ripon. The Ilbert Bill was introduced during Lord Ripon’s tenure as the Viceroy of India from 1880 to 1884. The bill aimed to abolish judicial disqualification based on racial distinctions in India and grant Indian judges the authority to preside over cases involving European offenders.
The Ilbert Bill faced significant opposition from the European community in India, who vehemently criticized the proposal. They argued that allowing Indian judges to try European offenders would undermine their status and create an unjust legal system. The opposition was so intense that it led to protests, petitions, and even threats of resignation by European civil servants. Despite the controversy and opposition, Lord Ripon supported the bill and attempted to pass it with certain compromises. However, due to the strong resistance from the European community, the bill was eventually diluted, and its provisions were significantly scaled back. The final version of the Ilbert Bill, known as the Ilbert Bill Act of 1884, granted limited powers to Indian judges and fell short of its original intention to remove racial disqualification in its entirety.