Constitutional Devlopment

Question 1

Regulating Act of 1773

Answer 1

British took control and regulated EIC in India
G of Bengal - GG OF INDIA
Est Supreme Court
Ended private trade
Est Court of Directors(Governing body of company)

Question 2

Amending Act of 1781

Answer 2

Exempted official action of GG, council, Servants and Revenue matters from SC

Question 3

Pitt’s India Act of 1784

Answer 3

• Est. Double government of system
  
  • Court of Directors → Commercial Affairs
  • Board of Directors → Political Affairs
• Company Territories → British Possessions in India {Given complete control to British Government}

Question 4

Demands of Lord Cornwallis to accept Governor-General of Bengal?

Answer 4

• Power to override the decision of Council in special cases
• also be Commander-in-chief

Question 5

Charter Act of 1793?

Answer 5

• Extended overriding power to all future Governor-Generals and Governors
• Extended trade monopoly of Company for next 20 years
• Salaries paid out of Indian revenues

Question 6

Charter Act of 1813?

Answer 6

• Abolished trade monopoly expect tea & Trade with China
• Allow Christian Missionaries to come to India
• Allow Western Education in India
• Authorised Local govt to Impose Tax on Persons, Punish if not paid.

Question 7

Charter Act of 1833?

Answer 7

• Governor-General of Bengal → Governor-General of India{vested all civil & military power}
• Lord William Bentick was 1st GG-India
• Ended EIC as Commercial body → became purely Administrative body
• attempted open competition for Civil Servants but negated after Opposition.

Question 8

Charter Act of 1853?

Answer 8

• Separated Legislative & Executive functions of GGCouncil → Created Indian Legislative Council with local representation 4 out of 6
• open competition for Civil Servants → Covenanted Civil services open to Indians
• Macaulay Committee was appointed in 1854.

Question 9

GOI Act of 1858?

Answer 9

• Governor-Governor of Council → Viceroy of India —> Lord Canning
• Ended Double Government → BOD & COD
• Created Secretary of State for India → Member of British Cabinet → Complete Indian Administration.

Question 10

Indian Councils Act of 1861?

Answer 10

• Associate Indians to Law making process → Lord Canning nominated three Indian to his council
  
  • Raja of Benaras
  • Maharaja of Patiala
  • Sir Dinkar Roa
• initiated decentralising by restoring the legislative powers to Bombay and Madras Presidencies
• Est New Legislative Councils for Bengal, NW Provinces, Punjab

Question 11

Indian Councils Act of 1892?

Answer 11

• increased non-official member and maintained official majority in LC
• power to discussing Budget and address the questions of executive

Question 12

Indian Council Act of 1909?

Answer 12

• AKA Morley-Minto Reforms
• increased ILC members from 16 to 60.
• Associated Indian with Executive Council of Viceroy and Governors.
  
  • Satyendra Sinha 1st Indian to join Viceroy’s Executive Council as Law Member.
• Introduced Communal Representation which legalised Communalism.
  
  • Lord Minto was known as Father of Communal Electorate.

Question 13

GOI Act of 1919?

Answer 13

• AKA Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
• Increasing association of Indian in every branch of Administration
• Divided Central & Provincial Subjects
• further Provincial subjects into
  
  • Transferred → Administered by Governor responsible to LC
  • Reserved → Administered by Governor not responsible to LC
• Introduced Bicameralism and Direct Election
  
  • ILC → Council of State{Upper House} & Legislative Assembly{Lower House} chosen by direct election.
• made 3 out 6 members of Viceroy’s Executive Council to be Indians.
• Granted franchise to limited no. of People based on property, tax or education.
• Created New office of High Commissioner for India in London.
• Provided Est. for Public Service Commission → Central PSC was set up in 1926.

Question 14

Simon Commission?

Answer 14

• Abolition of Dyarchy
• Extension of responsible government
• continuation of communal electorate

Question 15

GOI Act of 1935?

Answer 15

• Est. All India Federation consisting Province and Princely states as units → didn’t created.
• divided power into three list
  
  • Federal list
  • Provincial list
  • Concurrent list
  • Residuary power to Viceroy
• Abolished Dyarchy → created Provincial Autonomy.
• Est of Reserve Bank of India to control the currency and Credit of country.
• Est of Provincial PSC and Joint PSC
• Est of Federal Court set up in 1937

Question 16

Indian Independence Act of 1947?

Answer 16

• Intro
  
  • 20 FEB 1947 → British PM Clement Atlee declared end of rule by 30 JUNE,1948
  • Muslim League started agitation demanding partition
  • 3 JUNE, 1947 → Mountbatten put forth Partition Plan → Accepted by Congress and Muslim League → Indian Independence Act 1947 came.
• Ended British Rule from August 15, 1947.
• creation of India and Pakistan with right to secede from British Commonwealth.
• Abolished Office of Viceroy and provided each dominion a Governor-General appointed by British King.
• empowered constituent assemblies to frame constitution and repeal any of British Parliament including Independence Act itself.
• Granted freedom to Princely states to either join or remain independent
• Lord Mountbatten was 1st Governor-General of India
• Nehru was 1st PM
• Constituent Assembly formed in 1946 became Parliament of Indian Dominion.