Which one of the following statements about the IIbert Bill is correct?

The correct answer is Option 1, i.e It proposed that the Indian magistrates would try Europeans in criminal cases.

Key Points

• Lord Rippon introduced this bill to remove racial prejudice from the Indian Penal Code.
• According to the then prevailing law, a European could be tried only by a European Judge/Magistrate.
• Europeans strongly opposed the Ilbert bill, a bill introduced by C.P Ilbert, who sought to end such a discriminatory practice.
• Rippon was forced to amend the bill to satisfy the English men in India, that they wouldn’t be tried by the Indian Magistrates.
• Ultimately, the bill was withdrawn only to be reintroduced and enacted in 1884.
• The amended bill, however, had very diluted provisions.
• It stated that the Europeans would be conferred on European and India District Magistrates alike, however, a defendant would have the right to claim it from a jury.
• Such a jury was to comprise at least half of members who were Britishers.
• The Ilbert Bill controversy helped with the Indian nationalism cause and proved to be a high watermark in the history of the Indian National Movement.