Who was the Viceroy of India when the Rowlatt Act was passed?

Correct Option

The Rowlatt Act, officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, was enacted in March 1919. Lord Chelmsford served as the Viceroy of India from 1916 to 1921, making him the Viceroy during the passage of this Act. The legislation empowered the British government to arrest and detain individuals without trial on mere suspicion. This Act provoked widespread national protests, including Mahatma Gandhi's call for the first all-India Satyagraha, and is historically associated with the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of April 13, 1919.

Incorrect Options

• Lord Irwin: He served as the Viceroy of India from 1926 to 1931, a period subsequent to the enactment of the Rowlatt Act.
• Lord Reading: His tenure as Viceroy was from 1921 to 1926, which commenced after the Rowlatt Act had already been passed.
• Lord Wavell: He held the office of Viceroy from 1943 to 1947, a significantly later period than the events of 1919.