Constitutional Reforms in British India Constitutional Reforms in British India Regulating Act, 1773: ■End of Dual govt. ■Governor of Bengal to be the Governor – General of British territories of India. ■Establishment of Supreme Court in Calcutta. ■Court of directors to be elected for 4 years ■Number of Directors fixed at 24, 1/4th retiring every year. ■In Bengal, collegiate govt was created with Governor General and 4 members of the council and were named in the act:- GG -> Warren Hastings and 4 members -> Philip Francis, Clavering, Monson, and Barwell. Amending Act of 1781: ■Actions of public servants of the Company in their official capacity were exempted from the jurisdiction of Supreme Court. ■Jurisdiction of Supreme Court was defined. SC had to take into consideration and respect the religious and social customs and usages of the Indian while enforcing its decrees and processes. ■The rules and regulations made by GG-in-Council were not to be registered with SC. Pitts Act of 1784: ■Introduced Dual System of Govt by the company and by a Parliamentary board of directors. ■gave the British Government a measure of control over the company’s affairs ■company became a subordinate department of the State. ■Reduced the number of members of Executive Council of the GG to three. Act of 1786: ■Governor General given the power to over-ride the Council and was made the Commander-in-chief also to prevail upon Cornawalis to accept the GG-ship of India Charter Act of 1793: ■Company given monopoly of trade for 20 more years. ■laid the foundation of govt. by written laws, interpreted by courts. Charter Act of 1813: ■Company deprived of its trade monopoly in India except in tea and trade with China. ■An amount of one lakh rupees was set aside for the promotion of Education in India. Charter Act of 1833: ■End of Company’s monopoly even in tea and trade with China. ■Company was asked to close its business at the earliest. ■Governor General of Bengal to be Governor General of India ■(1st Governor General of India was Lord William Bentinck). Charter Act of 1853: ■The Act renewed the powers of the Company and allowed it to retain the possession of Indian territories in trust of the British crown. ■Recruitment to Civil Services was based on open annual competition examination (excluding Indians). Government of India Act, 1858: ■Rule of Company in India ended and that of the Crown began. ■A post of Secretary of State (a member of the British cabinet) for India created. ■He was to exercise the powers of the Crown. ■Secretary of State governed India through the Governor General. ■Governor General received the title of Viceroy. He represented Secretary of State and was assisted by an Executive Council, which consisted of high officials of the Govt. ■The system of double govt introduced by Pitt’s Act 1784 was finally abolished Indian Council Act, 1861: ■The Executive Council was now to be called Central Legislative Council. ■The Governor General was conferred power to promulgate ordinance. Indian Council Act, 1892: ■Indians found their way in the Provincial Legislative Councils. ■Element of Election was introduced. Indian Council Act, 1909 or Minto-Morley Reforms: It envisaged a separate electorate for Muslims. Government of India Act, 1919 Or Montague-Chelmsford Reforms: ■Dyarchy system introduced in the provinces. ■The Provincial subjects of administration were to be divided into 2 categories: ■Transferred ■administered by the Governor with the aid of ministers responsible to the Legislative Council ■Reserved ■The Governor and the Executive Council were to administer the reserved subjects without any responsibility to the legislature. ■Indian legislature became bicameral for the first time, it actually happened after 1935 Act. ■Secy of state be paid by British Exchequer ■Post of Commissioner of India Government of India Act, 1935: ■Provided for the establishment of All-India Federation consisting of ■British Provinces ■Princely States. ■The joining of Princely States was voluntary and as a result the federation did not come into existence as the minimum number of princes required to join the federation did not give their assent to join the federation. ■Dyarchy was introduced at the Centre (e.g. Department of Foreign Affairs and Defence were reserved for the Governor General). ■Provincial autonomy replaced Dyarchy in provinces. They were granted separate legal identity. ■Burma (now Myanmar) separated from India.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 04:35:51 +0000
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