The Governor in Council regrets that he has been forced by circumstances to have recourse to these extraordinary measures, which are repugnant to him, but in the situation with which he was confronted he had no alternative. All political parties in India have condemned violence as a means of political advance and Government look to every true well-wisher of his country to support them in every measure necessary to suppress anarchy and terrorism. The evils attendant on the former conspiracy, the misery that was caused uselessly, the contamination of youth that resulted, are fresh in their memory, and Government feel assured that the people of Bengal can regard with nothing but horror the possibility of a recurrence of similar calamities. Printed under the authority of His Majesty's Stationery Office By The South Essex Recorders, Ltd., High Road, Ilford. 3863) Wt. 18201-149 1m 12 24 S.E.R. Ltd. Gp. 56. The Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Passed under the procedure prescribed by Section 72E of the INDIA OFFICE, } A. HIRTZEL, Under Secretary of State for India. (Presented pursuant to the Government of India Act, Section 72E (3).) Ordered, by the House of Commons, to be printed, [PREVIOUS PAPER, CMD. 2288 OF 1924.] LONDON: PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE. or 120, George Street, Edinburgh; or through any Bookseller. 1925 Price 6d. net. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE No. 1. Despatch from the Governor-General to the Secretary III. Extracts from the Debates of the Bengal Legis- IV. Order made by His Excellency the Governor- General reserving the Bill for the signification V. Statement by His Excellency the Governor- General of the reasons which moved him to 13 No. 1. DESPATCH FROM THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA, DATED 22ND JANUARY 1925. My Lord, The Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1925. I have the honour to forward here with an authentic copy of the Act noted above, which, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2) of section 72E, I have reserved for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure. The endorsement printed at the head of the authentic copy of the Act will show that the Bengal Legislative Council refused leave to introduce the Bill, and that His Excellency the Governor, in exercise of the power vested in him by subsection (1) of section 72E, certified that the passage of the Bill was essential for the discharge of his responsibility for the provincial reserved subject described as "Administration of Justice" (item 17 in Part II of Schedule I to the Devolution Rules made under section 45A of the Government of India Act). The circumstances which necessitated the passage of the Bill are those which necessitated the making and promulgation by me of the Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 1924, on 25th October 1924. Those circumstances were set out in a statement issued to me at the time and published in the Gazette of India. A copy of that statement is sent as an enclosure to this letter. The period for which the Ordinance has the force of law is limited to six months by the provisions of section 72, and it was therefore essential that, before the expiry of this period, an enactment of the local Legislature should be passed to take its place. With this intention the Home Member of the Bengal Government moved in the Bengal Legislative Council on 7th January 1925 for leave to introduce the Bill, and leave was refused on the same day. His Excellency the Governor of Bengal thereupon made the certificate in the terms referred to above, and placed his signature below a copy of the Bill in the form in which it was proposed to be introduced. The Bill thereupon became an Act of the local Legislature, and in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2) of section 72E I have reserved the Act for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure. In addition to the enclosure referred to above, copies of the papers relating to the Act which are mentioned in the accompanying list are enclosed. I have, &c., (Sd.) READING. LIST OF ENCLOSURES of Governor-General's letter to His Majesty's Secretary of State for India, No. 7, dated 22nd January 1925. 1. A copy of the Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1925. 2. The Bill as proposed to be introduced in the Bengal Legislative Council. 3. Extracts from the Debates of the Bengal Legislative Council. at its meeting of 7th January 1925. 4. Order made by His Excellency the Governor-General reserving the Bill for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure. 5. Statement by His Excellency the Governor-General of the reasons which moved him to make and promulgate the Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 1924. 104 Wt 25817-Ps 49890/462 750 2.25 I.O.P. Gp 37 A 2 |