Forum Pakistan

This comprised several provinces in colonial India, directly controlled by British authorities. It occupied 59.3 per cent of Indian territory and accounted for 77 per cent of the population (1941 census). These provinces were divided into two groups: 1. Governors' Provinces, i.e., those ruled by a Governor, which were Assam, *Bengal, Bihar, Bombay, Central Provinces and Berar, Madras, *North West Frontier Province, Orissa, *Punjab, *Sindh and United Provinces; 2. Chief Commissioners' Provinces, i.e., those ruled by a Chief Commissioner, which were *Balochistan, Delhi, AjmerMerwara, Coorg, Panth Piploda, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. According to the Government of India Act 1935, these Provinces formed a Federation with the Indian Principalities, whose hereditary Rulers were vassals of the Paramount Power, i.e. the British Sovereign. The Indian principalities enjoyed a nominal autonomy but in fact were controlled by the British Residents, appointed by the Governor-General, later titled the Viceroy.