Chamber of Princes

Subject – History

Context – Suspended MPs have been protesting in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Parliament complex.

Concept –

The Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal) was an institution established in 1920 by a royal proclamation of King-Emperor George V to provide a forum in which the rulers of the princely states of India could voice their needs and aspirations to the colonial government of British India. It survived until the end of the British Raj in 1947.
The Chamber had an advisory and consultative role. It was represented by 120 princes out of 565 in all.
In all its years of existence, only the rulers of Bikaner, Patiala, Nawanagar and Bhopal were chosen as chancellors of the Chamber of Princes.
The Chamber of Princes usually met only once a year, with the Viceroy of India presiding, but it appointed a Standing Committee which met more often.
The full Chamber elected from its princely ranks a permanent officer styled the Chancellor, who chaired the Standing Committee.
The chamber convened at the Parliament House. Today the hall is used as the parliament’s library.