Though the term 'election' was scrupulously avoided, the fact that non-offical members of the Provincial Councils recommended and returned their nominees to the Central Council, indicated. The system of preparing an annual budget and laying it before the Legislature was first introduced in India in 1860 by James Wilson who was a Member of the British Parliament, sent to India as Finance Member of the Viceroy's Council. The first budget was presented on 18 February, 1860. While discussion on the budget as such was not allowed, this was sometimes sought to be made possible by linking the budget with some proposal for taxation. During 1862-62, there was 16 occasions when budget was discussed in that manner. The Council had no right to vote on the Budget. The Act of 1892 conceded to both the Central and Provincial Councils the privilege of financial criticism or the right to discuss the budget under certain conditions for the first time. Members of the Council however. Under the Act of 1892, Members were for the first time granted the privilege of asking question and interrogating Government Members. The first question was asked on 16 February 1893. The questioner was the Maharaja of Bhinga and the question concerned hardships caused by the system of collecting supplies of provision for government officers on tour. During the two years 1905 and 1906 only 13 questions were asked and the subjects were Services, Railways, Revenue and Exchange. Sometimes information could be denied on the ground that an answer would involve lengthy preparation by officials Imagine how happy today's officers would be if this situation were to exist. As far as the cost is concerned, the Section is very clear. It is on a cost-reimbursement basis. There are standard billing procedures. The same principles that apply to the public sector will also be applied to the private sector and the joint sector. It is not intended to make a profit by deploying the CISF. It is intended to recover every pie of the cost of providing the security cover. There would be no discrimination between public sector on the one hand, and the private and joint sector on the other nor will any favour be shown to the private sector or joint sector. The Act of 1909 created non-official majority in all the Provincial Legislative Councils, but maintained official majority in the Central Legislative Council. The 1909 Act also for the first time gave members of the Council power to move resolutions on any matter of general public interest and to divide the Council upon them. This was the beginning of non-official resolution. The first resolution under the rules was moved on 25 February 1910 by Gopal Krishna Gokhale recommending prohibition of indentured labour for Natal in South Africa. On the Rowlatt Bill, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya spoke for two and a half hours. Similarly, on Indemnity Bill he spoke for four hours continously and in all, he spent six and a half hours speaking on the Bill. It was very rare that non-official members could have their way. Still, they made their presence felt by moving amendments, resolutions and asking questions.
