The Rowlatt Act, officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, was a legislative act passed by the Imperial Legislative Council in British India during the First World War. It was named after the chairman of the committee that recommended its enactment, Sir Sidney Rowlatt.
The Rowlatt Act was passed on March 18, 1919, and it gave the British colonial authorities sweeping powers to suppress political activities and arrest individuals suspected of being involved in revolutionary or seditious activities without trial. The Act allowed for detention without trial for a maximum period of two years.