Lord Minto is known as the father of the communal electorate in India. This decision was taken during the period of his viceroyalty in India (1905-1910). This decision was considered a turning point in the history of India's communal politics.

Reasons for the introduction of communal electorate:

- The British government introduced communal electorates to divide and rule India. They wanted to weaken the nationalist movement by dividing the people on the basis of religion, caste, and community.
- The British believed that by giving separate electorates to different communities, they would be able to create a balance of power in the political system. This would prevent any one community from becoming too dominant.
- The British government also believed that the communal electorates would help to maintain law and order in the country by giving representation to all communities.

Impact of communal electorates:

- The introduction of communal electorates led to the growth of communalism in India. It created a sense of mistrust and suspicion among different communities, leading to communal tensions and conflicts.
- The communal electorates also led to the growth of political parties based on religion and community. This further divided the people and weakened the nationalist movement.
- The communal electorates also led to the rise of communal politics, where politicians started using religion and community to gain votes. This led to the politicization of religion and community in India.

Conclusion:

The introduction of communal electorates was a controversial decision that had far-reaching consequences for India's social and political fabric. While it was intended to create a balance of power and prevent any one community from becoming too dominant, it ended up dividing the people and weakening the nationalist movement. Lord Minto's decision to introduce communal electorates is therefore considered a turning point in India's history.