The correct answer is option 4, 1909. The communal electorate was introduced for the first time in India in 1909. This introduced separate electorates based on religion, where seats in the legislative councils were reserved for different religious communities. This was done to address the demands of different religious groups for separate representation. The Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909, also known as the Indian Councils Act, introduced this system of separate electorates. It provided separate representation for Muslims, Sikhs, Europeans, Anglo-Indians, and Christians. However, it also intensified communal divisions and hindered the growth of a united nationalist movement. The communal electorate system continued to be used in subsequent electoral reforms, such as the Government of India Act of 1935.