| Burma Legislature | |
| Native Name Lang: | my |
| Coa Res: | 200px |
| House Type: | Bicameral |
| Houses: | Senate House of Representatives |
| Members: | 168 36 (Senate) 132 (House of Representatives) |
| Structure1 Res: | 250px |
The Burma Legislature was the legislative body of British Burma from 1936 to 1947. As an elected body, the Legislature of Burma was a bicameral legislature consisting of the 36-seat Senate and the 132-seat House of Representatives.[1]
The Government of India Act 1935 separated Burma from British India as of 1 April 1937,[2] and created a 36-seat Senate and a 132-seat House of Representatives.[3]
| Name | Took office | Left office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maung Gyee | 16 March 1937 | 1940 | [4] [5] |
| Sir Joseph Augustus Maung Gyi | 30 August 1940[6] | 1942 - 1943? | [7] |
| ? | 1945 | 1947 | |
| Name | Took office | Left office | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chit Hlaing | 12 February 1937 | 1941 | [8] | |
| Saw Sydney Loo-Nee | 1941 | 1941 | [9] [10] | |
| Chit Hlaing | 26 March 1941 | 1942 - 1943? | [11] | |
| ? | 1945 | 1947 |
Bandoola U Sein was President of the State Assembly of Japanese-sponsored State of Burma.[12]
In 1938, the Legislature of Burma attempted to remedy the dispossession of rural Burmese farmers who were displaced by Indians, in particular, the Chettiars, by passing the Tenancy Act, Land Purchase Act, and Land Alienation Act.[13] The Tenancy Act intended to safeguard tenants from eviction and to fix fair rents, while the Land Purchase Act allowed the government to purchase large swathes of land owned by non-agriculturalists to be resold on a tenancy basis to genuine farmers.[13] In 1938, the Legislature passed into law the progressive University Act.[14]