INDIAN POLITY
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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Regulating Act - 1773
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• First step taken by the British Government to control
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and regulate the affairs of the East Indian Company
in India (laid the foundations of central
administration in India).
• It designated the Governor of Bengal as the
“Governor General of Bengal”. (Warren Hastings)
• Establishment of a Supreme Court (Calcutta-1774)
(with Original & Appellate Jurisdiction) (One Chief
Justice & three other Judges)
• Bombay & Madras presidencies were made
subordinate.
Pitt’s India Act – 1784
(Named for British Prime Minister William Pitt
the Younger)
• Indian Affairs came under direct control of British
Government in Britain. Distinguished between the
commercial and political functions of the company.
• Allowed the Court of Directors (CoD) to manage the
commercial affairs.
• Created a new body called Board of Control (BoC).
• BoC have 6 members, to manage the political
affairs- to supervise and direct all operations of the
civil and military government or revenue of the
British possessions in India.
• It established a system of dual government.
Charter Act - 1813
• It ended the monopoly of the EIC in India except
company’s monopoly in “trade with China” and
“trade in tea with India”. Thus, trade with India for all
commodities except tea was thrown open to all
British subjects. This lasted till 1833 when the next
charter abolished the trade of the company.
• It asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over
the company’s territories in India. (Constitutional
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781005 Phone: 6901259799, Email: spmiasacademy2@gmail.com,
INDIAN POLITY
position of British territories in India explicitly • This act abolished the dual government of the Pitt’s
defined for first time). India Act.
• It allowed the Christian Missionaries to come to • This act also ended the doctrine of Lapse.
India for the purpose of enlightening the people. • The Secretary of State was a member of the British
• It provided for the spread of western education cabinet and was responsible ultimately to the British
among the inhabitants of the British territories in Parliament.
India. (1 Lakh rupee for the education in native • Established a 15 – member Council of India to
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India). assist the Secretary of State for India.
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• It authorised the local governments in India to
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impose taxes on persons. They could also punish Indian Council Act - 1861
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the persons for not paying taxes. • Initiated the process of decentralization by restoring
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legislative powers to Bombay and Madras. (These
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Charter Act, 1833 (Saint Helena Act 1833) powers were taken away through Charter Act
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Final step towards Centralization. 1883).
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Governor General of Bengal became the Governor • Introduced representative institutions in India by
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General of India (First Governor-General of India –
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associating Indians with the law-making process.
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William Bentinck). • Viceroy nominated some Indians as non-official’s
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Governor General was vested with all civil and members of his expanded council. Three Indians
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military powers. nominated were – The Raja of Banaras, The
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• It deprived the Governors of Bombay & Madras of Maharaja of Patiala and Sir Dinkar Rao.
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their legislative powers. • It empowered the Viceroy to issue ordinances
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The laws made under the previous acts were known during Emergency.
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as Regulations, while the laws made under this act • Empowered the Viceroy to frame the Rules of
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were known as Acts. It ended the activities of the
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Business.
EIC as a commercial body, making it a purely • New legislative councils for Bengal, NWEP, Punjab.
administrative body. • Statutory recognition to portfolio system (introduced
• Introduced law member (Macaulay) in Governor by Canning)
General’s Council.
• Provision for open competition negated by this act. Indian Councils Act - 1892
• Restrictions on immigration of Europeans and • It raised the number of (non-official) members in the
acquire property were lifted. Central and Provincial Legislative Councils while
• Indians law codified and consolidated. keeping the official majority.
• No Indian denied employment under company on • Members could now debate the budget without
the basis of religion, colour. having the ability to vote on it. They were also
• Abolished Slavery barred from asking follow-up questions.
• The Governor-General in Council was given the
Charter Act - 1853 authority to set rules for member nomination,
• Separated the legislative and executive functions of subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for
the Governor General Council. (Separation of India.
powers). • To elect members of the councils, an indirect
• Provided for addition of six new members called election system was implemented. Members of
legislative councillors to the council known as the provincial councils could be recommended by
Indian (Central) Legislative Council. universities, district boards, municipalities,
• It introduced, for the first time, local representation zamindars, and chambers of commerce.
in the India (Central) Legislative Council. • Provincial legislative councils were given more
• Introduced an open competition for civil services. powers, including the ability to propose new laws or
The covenanted civil services were thus thrown repeal old ones with the Governor General's assent.
open to the Indians also. • In the event of the Central legislature, the Governor
General was given the authority to fill the seat, while
Government of India Act 1858 in the case of the provincial legislature, the
• Also known as the Act for the Good/better Governor was given the authority
Government of India.
• Rule of company was replaced by the Rule of Indian Councils Act-1909 (Morley–Minto
crown. Reforms)
• Changed the designation of the Governor-General • Introduced for the first time, an element of elections
of India to that of Viceroy of India. (First Viceroy of to the Legislative Councils.
India – Canning). • The legislative councils at the Centre and the
• Viceroy became the agent of the crown. provinces increased in size
SPM IAS Academy, DS. Mansion, 2rd floor, Opposite Indian Oil, Near Assam State Zoo, Zoo Road, Guwahati, Assam –
781005 Phone: 6901259799, Email: spmiasacademy2@gmail.com,
INDIAN POLITY
• It introduced non-official majority at the provincial • It abolished dyarchy in the provinces and
legislature level introduced ‘provincial autonomy’ in its place
• It enlarged the deliberative functions of the • The act introduced responsible government in
legislative councils at both the levels provinces, that is, the governor was required to act
• It provided for the first time for Indians to be with the advice of ministers responsible to the
associated with the executive council. provincial legislature
Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the law member • It provided for the adoption of dyarchy at the center.
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in Viceroy’s executive council. However, this provision did not come into effect at
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• Introduction of separate electorates (for Muslim). all
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System of communal representation was • Bicameralism was introduced in six
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introduced for Muslims. provinces- Bengal, Bombay, Madras, Bihar, Assam
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Father of Communal Electorate: - Lord Minto.
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• Separate representations were provided for • Separate electorates were further extended
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presidency corporations, chambers of commerce, to depressed classes, women and labour
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universities and Zamindars Council of India which was established as per the
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1858 act was abolished the secretary of state was
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Government of India Act-1919 (Montague- instead provided with a team of advisors.
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• The act provided for setting up- Federal public
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• Objective: Gradual introduction of responsible service commission, provincial public service
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commission, joint public service commission,
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federal court, Reserve Bank of India
• It relaxed the control of Centre over the provinces
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• Attlee’s Announcement: The legislation was drafted
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by demarcating and separating the central and
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provincial subjects by the Labour Government of Clement Attlee. It is
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• based totally at the Mountbatten Plan or the 3rd
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Dyarchy: provincial subjects were divided into-
June Plan which turned into formulated after the
transferred list and reserved list. Reserved lists
leaders of the Indian National Congress and the
were administered by the governor and his
Muslim League agreed to the suggestions of the
executive council that were not answerable to the
Viceroy Lord Mountbatten.
legislature whereas transferred lists were
administered by governor on the advice of the • The Prime Minister of the UK introduced on 20
ministers responsible to the council. February 1947 that the British Government would
grant self-government to British India by June 1948
• Bicameralism and direct elections were introduced
at the latest.
for the first time
• 3 June Plan: This was also known as the
• The act mandated that the three of the six members
Mountbatten Plan.
of the Viceroy’s executive council were to be Indian
• The British authorities proposed a plan introduced
• Principle of separate electorates was extended to
on 3 – June - 1947.
Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and
Europeans • The Indian Independence Act 1947 turned into the
implementation of the 3rd June Plan.
• It granted franchise to a limited number of people
on the basis of property, tax or education • The Act determined to furnish independence to
India and Pakistan with impact from 15th August
• High commissioner of India position created in
1947.
London. Some powers of Secretary of State was
transferred to the commissioner • The new boundaries of the dominions could be
demarcated by the Boundary Commission.
• Provincial budgets was separated for the first time
(Radcliffe Line)
from central budget
• British suzerainty over the princely states turned
• Central public service commission was established.
into an end. These states ought to determine
(1926)
whether to enroll in both India or Pakistan or stay
• Statutory commission to analyze the impact of this
independent. Over 560 states are determined to
act after 10 years
merge with India.
• Until the brand-new dominions’ constitutions could
Government of India Act-1935 emerge as effective, the heads of the nation will be
• It provided for the establishment of an All-India the respective Governor-Generals who could retain
federation consisting of provinces and princely to assent law passes with the aid of using the
states as units. Constituent Assemblies in the name of the king.
• It divided the powers between the Centre and units • This Act obtained the royal assent on 18th July
in terms of three lists- Federal list, provincial list and 1947 and entered into force
the concurrent list. Residuary powers were given to
the Viceroy. However, this federation never
fructified since princely states did not join it.
SPM IAS Academy, DS. Mansion, 2rd floor, Opposite Indian Oil, Near Assam State Zoo, Zoo Road, Guwahati, Assam –
781005 Phone: 6901259799, Email: spmiasacademy2@gmail.com,
INDIAN POLITY
India Independence Act, 1947 (20-Feb-
1947).
• Declared India as an Independent and sovereign
state from August-15-1947.
• Provided for creation of two independent dominions
of India and Pakistan with the right to secede from
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the British Commonwealth.
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Governor General of each were to be appointed by
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king, on the advice of the Dominion Cabinet.
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Empowered the Constituent Assemblies of two
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dominions to frame and adopt any constitution and
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to repeal any act of the British Parliament, including
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the independence act itself.
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• Abolished the office of the secretary of state for
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India and transferred his functions to the secretary
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of state for Commonwealth Affairs. It assigned dual
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functions (constituent & legislative) to the
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constituent Assembly formed in 1946.
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• It declared this dominion legislature as a sovereign
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• Granted freedom to the Indian princely state either
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to join Dominion of India or Dominion of Pakistan or
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to remain independent.
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SPM IAS Academy, DS. Mansion, 2rd floor, Opposite Indian Oil, Near Assam State Zoo, Zoo Road, Guwahati, Assam –
781005 Phone: 6901259799, Email: spmiasacademy2@gmail.com,
