Formation and Early Sessions of the All India Muslim League

The All India Muslim League (AIML) was formed in 1906 to safeguard the political rights of Muslims in British India, following growing Muslim concern that the Indian National Congress did not represent their interests.

Key founding facts:

• Year of formation: 1906.
• City of formation: Dhaka (Dacca).
• Who presided over the founding session in Dhaka in 1906: Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk.
• The first headquarters of the Muslim League was established in Aligarh.
• The Muslim League also had a London Branch; its president was Syed Ameer Ali.
• The first annual session of the Muslim League was held in Karachi in 1907.
• The 27th annual session of the All India Muslim League was held in Lahore, on 23rd March 1940 — this is the same session at which the famous 'Lahore Resolution' (also called the Pakistan Resolution) was passed.

Background — Simla Deputation (1906):

Before the League's formation, a delegation of Muslim leaders known as the Simla Deputation met the Viceroy, Lord Minto, in October 1906 at Simla, to demand separate representation for Muslims. This meeting is widely seen as the direct trigger for founding the Muslim League later that same year.

Minto-Morley Reforms (1909):

As a result of Muslim political pressure, the right to a separate electorate (Muslims voting separately for Muslim seats) was granted under the Minto-Morley Reforms of 1909.

Why it matters: The League's founding year, city, founding president, and the Simla Deputation/Minto-Morley sequence are core, frequently repeated LAT questions.