on 20 july 1916, the composition of the legislative council was increased to twelve nominated members of whom eleven were official members and one a british subject not holding any such office, seven elected european members and two fijian members. on 29 january 1917, badril maharaj, representing the indian community, took the twelfth nominated seat in the legislative council. he served in the legislative council until 1923, when he resigned in opposition to the poll tax but was re-nominated in 1926 and stayed on as a member until 1929.