Act

Key Provisions

Significance

Regulating Act

1773

●Established the office of the Governor-General of Bengal, with an Executive Council of four members to assist. The first Governor-General was Lord Warren Hastings.

●Made Governors of Bombay and Madras subordinate to the Governor-General of Bengal.

●Set up a Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774).

●Prohibited Company servants from private trade or accepting bribes.

●Required the Court of Directors to report on civil, military, and revenue affairs.

●First step by the British Government to control and regulate East India Company’s affairs in India.

●Recognized the Company's political and administrative roles.

●Laid the foundation for central administration in India.

Amending Act

1781

●Exempted the Governor-General and Council from Supreme Court jurisdiction for acts done in an official capacity.

●Excluded revenue matters from Supreme Court jurisdiction.

●Supreme Court had jurisdiction over all Calcutta inhabitants and would apply personal law (Hindu or Muslim) of defendants.

●Empowered Governor-General-in-Council to frame regulations for Provincial Courts.

●Addressed defects of the Regulating Act of 1773.

●Clarified judicial jurisdiction and administrative authority.

Pitt’s India Act

1784

●Differentiated between commercial and political functions of the Company.

●The Court of Directors managed commercial affairs; a new Board of Control managed political affairs, leading to a dual government system.

●Board of Control supervised civil and military operations and revenue.

●Increased the British Government's control over the Company’s political affairs.

●Marked territories in India as "British possessions," enhancing Crown control.

Act of 1786

●Allowed the Governor-General to override Council decisions in special cases.

●Made the Governor-General also the Commander-in-Chief.

●Strengthened the authority of the Governor-General in India, allowing more decisive governance.

Charter Act

1793

●Extended the Governor-General's overriding powers to future Governors-General and Governors.

●Strengthened the Governor-General’s control over Bombay and Madras.

●Extended the Company’s trade monopoly in India for another 20 years.

●Separated roles of Commander-in-Chief from Governor-General’s Council.

●Paid Board of Control members from Indian revenues.

●Continued the process of centralization of power in British India.

●Maintained the Company’s monopoly and strengthened administrative control.

Charter Act

1813

●Abolished the Company's trade monopoly in India, except for tea and trade with China.

●Asserted the British Crown’s sovereignty over the Company’s Indian territories.

●Allowed Christian missionaries to operate in India.

●Promoted Western education.

●Authorized local governments to levy taxes.

●Opened Indian trade to all British merchants, breaking the Company’s monopoly.

●Initiated promotion of Western education and Christian missionary activity in India.

Charter Act

1833

●Made the Governor-General of Bengal the Governor-General of India, centralizing all civil and military powers.

●Deprived Bombay and Madras Governors of legislative powers.

●Ended the Company’s commercial activities, making it solely an administrative body.

● Proposed open competition for civil service, though not implemented.

●Completed administrative centralization in British India.

●Transitioned the Company’s role from commercial to purely administrative.

●Provided the way for future civil service reforms.

Charter Act

1853

●Separated legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General’s Council, created a legislative council (Indian Central Legislative Council).

●Introduced open competition for civil service recruitment, allowed Indians.

●Continued the Company’s rule without a set time limit, emphasizing the British Crown’s sovereignty.

●Included local representation in the Legislative Council.

●Marked the beginning of legislative governance in India.

●Introduced Indian representation in governance and opened civil services to Indians.

●Indicated a shift towards direct Crown control, paving the way for future reforms and the end of Company rule.

Act

Key Features

Significance

Government of India Act of 1858

●Abolished the East India Company and transferred power to the British Crown.

●Changed the designation of Governor-General to Viceroy.

●Ended the system of double Government (Board of Control and Court of Directors).

●Created the office of the Secretary of State for India, responsible to the British Parliament.

●Established a 15-member Council of India to assist the Secretary of State, with the Secretary of State as Chairman.

●The Secretary of State-in-Council was given corporate status.

●Marked the beginning of direct British rule over India.

●Centralized administrative control under the British Crown, thus reinforcing British authority and removing the East India Company's role.

●Set the foundation for the establishment of British administrative structures in India.

Indian Councils Act of 1861

●Initiated representative institutions by nominating some Indians to the Viceroy's Council.

●Restored legislative powers to Bombay and Madras Presidencies, beginning decentralization.

●Established new legislative councils for Bengal, North-Western Provinces, and Punjab.

●Allowed the Viceroy to issue rules and ordinances and recognized the 'portfolio' system.

●The viceroy could issue ordinances during emergencies.

●Began the process of involving Indians in legislative functions, though limited.

●Marked the start of legislative decentralization and increased local governance.

●Established new councils that paved the way for increased legislative engagement in various provinces.

Indian Councils Act of 1892

●Increased non-official members in legislative councils but maintained official majority.

●Expanded functions of councils to discuss budgets and ask questions.

●Provided for nomination of non-official members by viceroy and governors on recommendations from various bodies.

●Expanded the legislative councils’ roles and functions, providing a greater platform for political participation.

●Introduced a limited form of electoral representation, setting the stage for future reforms.

●Marked a step towards greater Indian involvement in legislative processes.

Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms)

●Increased the size of legislative councils; Central Council from 16 to 60 members.

●Retained official majority in Central Council; allowed non-official majority in provincial councils.

●Enlarged the discussion functions, including supplementary questions and resolutions.

●Associated Indians with the executive councils; first Indian Law Member appointed.

●Introduced separate electorates for Muslims, extending communal representation.

●Provided separate representation for corporations, universities, and zamindars.

●Significantly increased the scope of legislative functions and the role of Indians in governance.

●Institutionalized communal representation, had long-lasting effects on Indian politics.

●Promoted Indian participation in executive roles and legislative functions.

Government of India Act of 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms)

●Relaxed central control by separating central and provincial subjects.

●Introduced 'dyarchy' in provinces with transferred and reserved subjects; largely unsuccessful.

●Established a bicameral legislature with an Upper House (Council of State) and a Lower House (Legislative Assembly), with direct elections.

●Required three of the six Viceroy's Executive Council members to be Indian

●Extended communal representation to various groups

●Granted limited franchise based on property, tax, or education.

●Created High Commissioner for India in London.

●Established a Public Service Commission in 1926.

●Separated provincial budgets from the Central budget.

●Mandated a review of the Act's working after ten years.

●Marked a significant shift towards responsible government with increased provincial autonomy.

●Introduced direct elections and bicameralism, which were critical for future constitutional developments.

●Attempted to address political demands for greater Indian representation and autonomy.

Simon Commission (1927-1930)

●Commission of seven British members to report on the condition of India under the new Constitution.

●Recommended abolition of dyarchy, extension of responsible government in provinces, and establishment of a federation of British India and princely states.

●Proposed continuation of communal electorates.

●Led to three round table conferences and a 'White Paper on Constitutional Reforms.'

●Some Recommendations were included in the Government of India Act of 1935.

●Prompted extensive discussions and debates on constitutional reforms.

●This led to the drafting of the Government of India Act of 1935.

●Highlighted the need for broader representation and federal structures in the Indian political system.

Communal Award (1932)

●Extended separate electorates to Scheduled Castes (Depressed Classes), alongside Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, and Europeans.

●Gandhiji opposed the extension to Scheduled Castes, leading to the Poona Pact, which retained joint electorates for Hindus and provided reserved seats for Scheduled Castes.

●Deepened communal divisions but also led to agreements like the Poona Pact that aimed to address some of the concerns.

●Highlighted the tensions between different communities and the complexity of accommodating diverse interests in constitutional reforms.

Government of India Act of 1935

●Established an All-India Federation with separate powers for centres and units; never fully realized due to princely states' non-participation.

●Abolished dyarchy in provinces, introducing 'provincial autonomy' and responsible government.

●Introduced dyarchy at the Centre, but not implemented.

●Established bicameralism in six out of eleven provinces.

●Extended communal representation to Scheduled Castes, women, and workers.

●Abolished the Council of India; provided advisors to the Secretary of State.

●Extended franchise to about 10% of the population.

●Established Reserve Bank of India.

●Created Federal, Provincial, and Joint Public Service Commissions.

●Established a Federal Court in 1937.

●Marked a significant step towards self-government with a federal structure.

●Provided a framework for provincial autonomy and increased Indian representation.

●Set the stage for India's eventual independence by institutionalizing many elements of self-governance.

Indian Independence Act of 1947

●Ended British rule, declaring India independent on August 15, 1947.

●Provided for the partition of India into two dominions: India and Pakistan.

●Abolished the office of Viceroy; each dominion to have a Governor-General.

●Empowered Constituent Assemblies of both dominions to frame and adopt constitutions.

●Allowed dominions to legislate until new constitutions were framed.

●Abolished the Secretary of State for India; transferred functions to the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs.

●Ended British paramountcy over princely states and tribal areas.

●Allowed princely states the choice to join India, Pakistan, or remain independent.

●Governed by the Government of India Act of 1935 until new constitutions were framed.

●Abolished the British Monarch’s veto power; the Governor-General had the power to assent to bills.

●Designated Governor-General and provincial governors as constitutional heads.

●Dropped the title of Emperor of India.

●Ended civil service appointments and reservations by the Secretary of State for India; continued benefits for pre-August 15, 1947 appointees.

●Marked the end of British colonial rule and the birth of two independent nations, India and Pakistan.

●Enabled the transition from British control to self-governance.

●Set the stage for the drafting of the new constitutions for both countries.