Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Princely States:

1. Narendra Mandal was set up as a consultative and advisory body on the recommendations of Morley-Minto reforms.
2. Policy of Equal Federation, as per the Government of India Act 1935, never came into existence.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• According to the recommendations of Montford Reforms, a Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal) was set up as a consultative and advisory body having no say in the internal affairs of individual states and having no powers to discuss matters concerning existing rights and freedoms.

For the purpose of the Chamber, the Indian states were divided into three categories:

(a) Directly represented-109

(b) Represented through representatives-127

(c) Recognised as feudal holdings or jagirs.

• The Government of India Act, 1935 proposed a Federal Assembly with 125 out of 375 seats for the princes and the Council of States with 104 out of 160 seats for the princes, under its scheme of an all-India federation, which was subject to ratification by states representing more than half of the population and entitled to more than half of the seats in the Council of States. This scheme never came into existence and after the outbreak of World War II (September, 1939) it was dropped altogether.