- Regulating Act 1773
Ø beginning of British parliamentary control over the East India
Company
Ø subordination of the presidencies of Bombay and Madras to Bengal
Ø Governor of Bengal made Governor-General
Ø council of Governor-General established
Ø Supreme Court established in Calcutta
- Pitt’s India Act 1784
Ø commercial and political activities of the Company separated
Ø established a board of control over the Company
- Charter Act 1813
Ø trade monopoly of the Company abolished
Ø missionaries allowed to preach in India
- Charter Act 1833
Ø Governor-General of Bengal becomes Governor-General of India
Ø first Governor-General Lord William Bentick
Ø ends commercial activities of the Company
- Charter Act 1853
Ø legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General’s
council separated
Ø open competition for Indian Civil Services established
- Indian Council Act 1861
Ø establishes legislative councils at the centre, presidencies and
provinces
Ø Governor-General’s executive council to have Indians as non-official
members
Ø restores legislative power to Bombay and Madras presidencies
Ø recognises portfolio system of governance
- Indian Council Act 1892
Ø introduces indirect elections
Ø enlarges the function of legislative councils giving the power
to discuss the budget and address questions to the executive
Ø enlarges the size of the legislative councils
- Government of India Act 1898
Ø administration taken over directly by the British crown
Ø office of the Governor-General replaced by the Viceroy
Ø first Viceroy is Lord Canning
- Indian Council Act 1909 (Minto-Morley Reforms)
Ø first attempt to introduce representative and popular element to
government
Ø changed name of Central Legislative Council to Imperial
Legislative Council
Ø increased the non-official members in the Imperial and
Provincial legislative councils
Ø non-official members hold majority in the provincial legislative
councils, but official members hold majority in the central
Ø appointed Indians to the Viceroy’s Executive Council and
provincial executive councils
Ø established separate electorate for Muslims
- Government of India Act 1909 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms)
Ø classified government subjects into central and provincial
Ø established dyarchy in the provinces
Ø Provincial subjects divided into Reserved and Transferred. Reserved
subjects administered by the Governor, Transferred subjects by Indian ministers
Ø central legislature covered all central subjects and some
provincial subjects
Ø all bills of the legislatures required Governor-General’s
assent, while the Governor-General could enact bills without assent from
legislatures
Ø established the Public Service Commission
- Government of India Act 1935
Ø provided for the establishment of a Federation of India
consisting of the Provinces and Princely States
Ø dyarchy withdrawn from the provinces and established at the
Centre. Introduced ‘provincial autonomy’
Ø introduced direct elections
Ø proposed the Federal Legislature to be bicameral
Ø administrative subjects divided into Federal, Provincial and
Concurrent
Ø reserved subjects at the Centre to be administered by the
Governor-General
Ø Governor-General to be assisted by a Council of Ministers
Ø Provided for the establishment of a Federal Court with
original, appellate and advisory jurisdiction. Appeals from the Federal Court
went to the Privy Council in London
Ø Burma and Aden separated from India
- Indian Independence Act 1947
Ø sovereignty and responsibility of the British Parliament for
India abolished
Ø Governor-General and provincial Governors become constitutional
heads
Ø the British crown ceases to be the source of authority
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