Bihar Province

Bihar Province was a province of British Raj and later Republic of India, created in 1936 by the partition of the Bihar and Orissa Province. It consisted the modern Indian states of Bihar and Jharkhand.

History

In 1756, Bihar was part of Mughal Bengal Subah. After the victories of the East India Company at the Battle of Plassey (1757) and the Battle of Buxar (1764), Bengal fell into British influence and was administered as the Bengal Presidency. Orissa was annexed into the Bengal Presidency in 1803, after the third Second Anglo-Maratha War.

On 22 March 1912, both Bihar and Orissa were separated from the Bengal Presidency and administered as the Bihar and Orissa Province. On 1 April 1936, Bihar and Orissa became separate provinces.

The Government of India Act 1935 provided for the election of a provincial legislative assembly and a responsible government. The Indian National Congress won a majority of seats in the 1937 Indian provincial elections but declined to form the government in Bihar. A minority government was formed under Muhammad Yunus of the Muslim Independent Party. After the fall of the Yunus government in July 1937, Governor Maurice Garnier Hallett invited Shri Krishna Sinha of the Congress to form the government.

In 1939, along with Congress ministries in other provinces, Sinha resigned in protest of the Governor-General Linlithgow's declaration of war on Germany without consulting with Indian leaders and Bihar came under Governor's Rule. The Indian National Congress won 1946 Indian provincial elections in Bihar and Sri Krishna Sinha was invited by Governor Thomas George Rutherford to form the first cabinet of Bihar. It consisted of the Chief Minister. Upon India's independence on 15 August 1947, Bihar Province became a part of independent India.

Governors

Governors of Bihar Province (1936–1947)

• 1 Apr 1936 – 11 Mar 1937 Sir James David Sifton (s.a.)
• 11 Mar 1937 – 5 Aug 1939 Sir Maurice Garnier Hallett (b. 1883 – d. 1969)
• 5 Aug 1939 – 9 Jan 1943 Sir Thomas Alexander Stewart (b. 1888 – d. 1964) (acting to Sep 1939)
• 9 Jan 1943 – 6 Sep 1943 Sir Thomas George Rutherford (b. 1886 – d. 1957) (1st time)
• 6 Sep 1943 – 23 Apr 1944 Sir Robert Francis Mudie (acting) (b. 1890 – d. 1976)
• 23 Apr 1944 – 13 May 1946 Sir Thomas George Rutherford (s.a.) (2nd time)
• 13 May 1946 – 15 Aug 1947 Sir Hugh Dow (b. 1886 – d. 1978)

Prime Ministers from Bihar

Before independence, Bihar was part of the larger Bihar and Orissa province, which was divided into two separate provinces on 1 April 1936. The Government of India Act 1935 introduced a bicameral legislature in Bihar, with a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council, headed by the Premier. Shri Krishna Sinha became the first Premier in 1937, leading a government formed by the Indian National Congress. He continued as Bihar's leader after independence, becoming the first chief minister in 1946. The role of premier was replaced by the chief minister after India's independence in 1947, with Bihar's political leadership transitioning to a new democratic framework.

See also

• List of governors of Bihar

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