1. Communal Award

♤ After the Second Round Table Conference, in August 1932, the British PM, Ramsay Macdonald gave his ‘Communal Award’. According to it, separate representation was to be provided to the forward castes, lower castes, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, Europeans and Dalits. The Dalits were assigned a number of seats to be filled by election from special constituencies in which voters belonging to the Dalit community only could vote.

♤ The award was opposed by Mahatma Gandhi, who fasted in protest against it. After lengthy negotiations, Gandhi reached an agreement - called the Poona Pact - with Dr. Ambedkar to have a single Hindu electorate, with Dalits having seats reserved within it.