●  System of double government introduced by the Government of India Act (1919) for the provinces of British India.

●  It marked the first introduction of the democratic principle into the executive branch of the British administration of India.

●  It divided branch of each provincial government into authoritarian and popularly responsible sections.

o  The first was composed of executive councilors, appointed, as before, by the crown.

o  The second was composed of ministers who were chosen by the governor from the elected members of the provincial legislature. These latter ministers were Indians.

o  subjects of administration were divided between the councilors and the ministers, being named reserved and transferred subjects, respectively.

●  Diarchy was introduced at the Provincial Level. Diarchy means a dual set of governments; one is accountable, the other is not accountable.

●  The Dyarchy system provided more powers to the Provincial governments. Under this system some subjects of the provincial government were divided into two groups. One group was reserved, and the other group was transferred.

●  The subjects which were considered of key importance for the welfare of the masses and for maintaining peace and order in the state were classified as reserved, while subjects in which there was more local interest were treated as transferred.

●  The reserved subjects were controlled by the British Governor of the province; It included subjects such as law and order, finance, land revenue, irrigation, famine relief, administration of justice, newspapers, borrowing, forests etc.

●  The transferred subjects were given to the Indian ministers of the province.It included subjects such as education, public health and sanitation, local self government, industry, agriculture, excise, public works, agriculture, fisheries, religious endowments, medical services etc. These were to be controlled by ministers responsible to the legislatures.