1937 Bombay Presidency Elections

The elections to the two houses of legislatures of the Bombay Presidency were held in 1937, as part of the nationwide provincial elections in British India. The Indian National Congress was the single largest party by winning 86 of 175 seats in the Legislative Assembly and 13 of 60 seats in the Legislative Council.

The Congress Government that was formed after the elections under B. G. Kher lasted till October 1939, when it resigned protesting India's involvement in the Second World War. The next election was held in 1946.

Government of India Act of 1935

The Government of India Act of 1935 abolished dyarchy and ensured provincial autonomy. It created a bicameral legislature in the Bombay province. The Legislature consisted of the Governor and two Legislative bodies - a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council. The Assembly consisted of 175 members who were further classified into General seats and those reserved for special communities and interests. The Legislative Council consisted of 60 members. It was a permanent body not subject to dissolution by the Gover
The Act provided for a limited adult franchise based on property qualifications.nor and one-third of its members retired every three years.

Results

The Congress contested 110 out of the total 175 seats in the assembly out of which 97 were general constituencies. For the council, it contested 15 out of the 26 seats where elections took place.

In the assembly, 15 seats were reserved for the Scheduled Castes. Out of these, Congress Party secured one seat unopposed and contested 8 seats out of which it won 5.

Legislative Assembly

Party wise break up of seats in the Bombay Legislative Assembly:

Total Number of Seats : 175

*General (115):
**Ahmedabad: Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar (Ahmedabad City, Urban) (Speaker), Trikamlal Ugarchand Vakil (Ahmedabad City), Hariprasad Pitamber Mehta (Ahmedabad North), Bhogilal Dhirajlal Lala (Ahmedabad North), Ishvarlal Kalidas Vyas (Ahmedabad South)
**Ahmednagar: Laxman Madhav Patil (Ahmednagar North), Keshav Balwant Deshmukh (Ahmednagar North, General Rural), Ramchandra Bhagwant Girme (Ahmednagar North, General Rural), Namdeo Eknath Navle (Ahmednagar North), Prabhakar Janardan Roham (Ahmednagar South, General Rural), Ganesh Krishna Chitale (Ahmednagar South), Kundanmal Sobhachand Firodia (Ahmednagar South)
**Belgaum: Anna Babaji Latthe (Belgaum North), Balwant Hanmant Varale (Belgaum North), Narayanrao Gururao Joshi (Belgaum North) (Deputy Speaker), Malgouda Pungouda Patil (Belgaum North), Keshav Govind Gokhale (Belgaum South, General Rural), Parappa Chanbasappa Jakati (Belgaum South, Rural), Kallangouda Shiddangouda Patil (Belgaum South)
**Bijapur: Murigeppa Shiddappa Sugandhi (Bijapur North), Revappa Somappa Kale (Bijapur North), Shankreppagouda Basalingappagouda Desai (Bijapur South, General Rural), Shankargouda Timmangouda Patil (Bijapur South)
**Bombay: Khurshed Nariman (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)), S. K. Patil (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)), Nagindas Tribhuvandas Master (Bombay City (Fort, Mandvi, Bhuleshwar and Girgaum)), B. R. Ambedkar (Bombay City (Byculla & Parel) General Urban), Dr. Manchersha Dhanjibhoy Gilder (Bombay City (Byculla & Parel) General Urban), B.G. Kher (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District), Dattatraya Wandrekar (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District), Savlaram Gundaji Songavkar (Bombay City North and Bombay Suburban District),
**Broach: Chhotalal Balkrishna Purani (Broach Sub-division, General Rural)
**Dharwar: Siddappa Kambli (Dharwar North, Rural), Andaneppa Dnyanappa Dodmeti (Dharwar North, General Rural), Girimallappa Rachappa Nalwadi (Dharwar North, General Rural), Vishwanathrao Narayanrao Jog (Dharwar North), Shripad Shyamji Kargudri (Dharwar South, Rural), Thimmappa Rudrappa Neshvi (Dharwar South)
**Kaira: Bhailbhai Ukabhai Vaghela (Kaira District, General Rural), Babubhai Jasbhai Patel, Bhailalbhai Bhikabhai Patel, Fulsinhji Dabhi,
**Kanara: Sheshgiri Narayanrao Keshwain (Kanara District, General Rural), Mahableshwar Ganpati Bhatt Gopi (Kanara District, General Rural), Ningappa Fakeerappa Hallikeri
**Khandesh: Gulabsing Bhila Girasey (West Khandesh East, General Rural), Namdeorao Budhajirao Marathe (West Khandesh East), Raghunath Balkrishna Wadekar (West Khandesh East), Damji Posala Gavit (West Khandesh West), Mangesh Babhuta Patel (West Khandesh West), Daulatrao Gulaji Jadhav (East Khandesh East, General Rural), Rajmal Lakhichand Marwadi (East Khandesh East), Dhanaji Nana Choudhari (East Khandesh East), Hari Vinayak Pataskar (East Khandesh West), Gambhirrao Avachitrao Patil (East Khandesh West), Narhar Rajaram Patil (East Khandesh West), Maganlal Nagindas (East Khandesh West),
**Kolaba: Ramchandra Narayan Mandlik, Laxman Govind Patil, Dattatraya Kashinath Kunte, Kamalaji Ragho Talkar
**Nasik: Raosaheb Bhausaheb Thorat (Nasik East, General Rural), Lalchand Hirachand

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