Administrative functions of British E.I.C.

in India IMPORTANT ACTS

INTRODUCED BY THE BRITISH
PARLIAMENT
Regulating Act of 1773
Pitt’s India Act of 1784
Charter Act of 1793
Charter Act of 1813
Charter Act of 1833
Regulating Act of 1773
1. Made the Governors of Madras and Bombay Presidencies subordinate to the Governor-General of
Bengal , unlike earlier the three Presidencies were independent of one another.
2. Govt. Headed by a Governor-General in Bengal and four councilors , having the supervisory
authority over the Presidencies of Bombay and Madras.
3. Act also recognized the right of Parliament to regulate the civil, military and revenue affairs of the
Company’s territories in India.
4. First step taken by the British government to control and regulate the affairs of the E.I.C. in India.
5. It recognized for the first-time, the politics and Administrative functions of the Company.
6. Laid the foundation of central administration in India.
7. Designated the Governor of Bengal as the Governor-General of Bengal and created an executive
council of four members to assist him . First such governor was Lord Warren hastings.
8. Establishment of S.C. at Calcutta (1774) comprising one C.J. and three other judges, with Sir Eliza
Empe its C.J.
9. Prohibited the servants of the Company from engaging in any private trade or accepting presents
and bribe from the natives.
10. Strengthened the control of the govt. Over the Company by requiring the court of directors
(governing body of the Company) to report on its revenue, civil military affairs of India.
PITT’S INDIA ACT ,1784
1.Extended the control of the British government over
the Company’s affairs and its administration in India.
2.Act designated between the commercial and political
functions of the Company.
3.Established a board of Control to guide and control
the work of the Court of Directors and the govt. Of
India.
4.Empowered the Board of Control to supervise and
direct all operations of the British possessions in India
such as: The civil, the military and the revenues.
CHARTER ACT OF 1813
1.In Europe the spirit of laissez-faire and continental system of Bonaparte’s had
prohibited the import of British goods into the French allies in Europe, and as a
result of it the British traders and merchants suffered heavily.
2.Charter Act or 1813 sought to redress those grievances of the British traders and
merchants
3.Ended the trade monopoly of the British E.I.C. In India, except the Company’s
monopoly in trade with China and Tae.
4.Asserted the sovereignty of British Crown over the Company’s territories in India.
5.The Company’s rule was extended for another 20 years’ period .
6.Powers of Board of Control were further extended.
7.Act granted permission to the persons who wished to go to India for promoting
moral and religious improvements- Christian missionaries.
8.Act regulated the Company’s territorial revenue and commercial profits. It was
asked to keep its territorial commercial accounts separate.
9.It was also provisioned that the company should invest ₹ 1 lakh every year on
education of Indians .
10.Empowered the local govts. In India to improve taxes on persons and to punish
CHARTER ACT OF 1833
1.Paved the way to reconstitute the administration on a new model to give it an all India character .
Thus , the act was the final step toward centralization in British India.
2.It attempted to introduce a system of open competitions for the selection of civil servants.
3.Company’s monopoly over trade with China and in tea was ended .
4.Legalized the British colonization of India. The E.I.C. from a commercial to an administrative body.
5.Company’s territories in India were held by the govt “ in trust for her Majesty , his heirs and
successors “
6.Governor-General of Bengal as the Governor-General of India and vested in him all civil and military
powers.
7.Lord William Bentinck as the first Governor-General of India had legislative powers over the entire
British India. Thus , governos of Bombay and Madras lost their legislative powers.
8.Laws made under the previous acts were called “ Regulations “ while laws made under this act
were called “Acts”.
9.Governor-General’s govt was called “ government of India ” and the councils was called “Indian
council “
10.Indian law commission(1834) was established to codify all Indian laws . The first law Commission
had Lord Macauley as its chairman. NOTE- The first Commission of independent India ( chairman
M.C. Setalwad) (Neither a constitutional body nor a statutory body) was established in 1955 for a
three-years’ term . Since then 22 more commissions have been established. The last chairman was
retired S.C. judge Mr. Rituraj Awasthi
CHARTER ACT OF 1853
1.The last of the series of charter acts passed by The British Participant between 1793 and 1853.
2.Act empowered the British EI.C. to retain the territories and the revenues in India in trust for the
Crown not for any specified period , unlike the previous charters acts of 1793, 1813,and 1833 which
renewed the charter for 20 years.
3.Separated the legislative and executive functions of the gov Gen’s councils for the first time.
4.Provided for the abolition of six new members called legislative councilors to the council (12 in
total).
5.This legislative wing of the council functioned as a” mini Parliament “ , adopting the same
procedures as British Parliament.
6.Law member (fourth member) became a full member with the right to vote.
7.Introduced an open competition system of selection and recruitment of civil servants; thus ,it was
thrown open to the Indians too.
8.Led the appointment of Macaulay committee on the Indian Civil service 1854.
9.Number of Board pf director’s was reduced from 24 to 18 out of which 6 were to be nominated by
the British Crown.
10.Act also introduced, local representation in the Indian (central) legislative council for the first
time.
THE CRON RULE : 1858 – 1947
Govt of India Act 1858
Indian council act 1861
Indian council act 1892
Indian council act 1909
Indian council act 1919
Govt of India Act 1935
Govt of India Act 1947
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1858
1.Known as the Act of good government of India, it abolished the E.I.C.
and transferred the powers to the Crown
2. Rule of the Company ended and viceroy was the new designation of
the Governor-General of India : who was the direct representative of
the British Crown in India
3. Abolished the Board of Control and court of directors thus, ending
the double government.
4. Office of secretary of state for India Was created, who was member of
British cabinet responsible to the British govt.
5. The secretary Of state was to be assisted by a council of 15 members.
It was an advisory body with SoS being the chairman of the council.
6. Focused upon improving Administrative machinery (Governor-
General of India replaced by viceroy under the Crown) of India.
INDIAN COUNCIL ACT 1861
1.Provided for viceroy to nominate some Nominated Indians in the
extended legislative council .( BY 1862, Viceroy Canning nominated
three Indians in the Legislative Council.) 1. RAJA OF BANARAS 2.
MAHARJA OF PATIALA 3. SIR DINKAR RAO
2.THE Legislative powers of Bombay and Madras Presidencies were
restored.
3.It made provisions of formation of new legislative council (Upper
House ) for Bengal (formed in 1862), North Western Province (1886),
Punjab (1897).Presidencies of Bombay, Madras and Bengal had more
powers than this.
4.The Viceroy was empowered to issue an ordinance without the consent
of the legislative council in case of emergency. This ordinance was valid
till 6 months from the date of issue.
5.It recognized the portfolio system which was started by Lord canning
in 1859.
INDIAN COUNCIL ACT 1892
1. Additional non official members increased in central and provincial
and Legislative Councils. Thus Official majority was maintained .
2. Increases in the function of Legislative Councils: the power of
discussing Budget and addressing the questions to the executive.
3. Provided for the nomination of non official members of:- Central
Legislative Council- by the viceroy on the recommendation of the
provincial Legislative Council and Bengal chqmbers of commerce.
PROVINCIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS- BY the Governor on the advice
of District Board, Municipalities, universities, Trade Associations,
Zamidars , and Chambers.
4. Word “ELECTION “ was nowhere mentioned but animated and indirect
election for the nominated members was introduced in this Act.
INDIAN COUNCIL ACT 1909 ( Marley Minto Reform)
1 Legislative Council was enlarged. In the Central Legislative council members were
increased from 16 to 60. In provincial it was not uniform in nature.
2. Cen Legs Council continued to have official majority; whereas Non-official majority
was allowed in the provincial Legislative council.
3. More powers were given to the Legislative Councils :- Members were allowed to
ask supplementary questions such as – 1. Voting for separate items on budget was
allowed
2. Budget as whole could still not be voted upon
4. Separate electorate for Muslim introduced. Only could vote for Muslim candidates.
5. Lord Minto became the father of Communal Electorate . Indians were allowed in the
executive councils of the viceroy for the first time. Satyendra pd Sinha was appointed
as a law member in th3 viceroy executive council.
6. Separate representation for presidency corporations, chamber of commerce ,
universities.
7. It was the first attempt to introduce Representative and Popular Elements in the
councils .councils were referred to as Legislative Councils for first time.