Constitutional Landmark Flashcards
Regulating Act, 1773
- British government to regulate affairs of East India Co.
- Designated Governor of Bengal as Governor General of Bengal. Warren Hastings was the First Governor General.
- Established a Supreme Court at Calcutta.
Pitts India Act, 1784
- Indian affairs under direct control of British government.
- Board of Control was established.
Charter Act of 1793
- Salary of company to drawn from the Indian exchequer.
- The Governor General and governors to override the decision of Councils. • Company got monopoly of trade with India for another 20 years.
Charter Act, 1833
- Governor General of Bengal became Governor General of India.
- Lord William Bentinck was the rst Governor General of India.
- The Act centralized British rule in India.
- Created Government of India, with authority over all of British India.
- East India Co. lost its monopoly of tea trade and China trade.
- The Indian Civil Services was founded.
Charter Act, 1853
- Separated legislative & executive functions of Governor General’s Council. • Open competition for Indian Civil Services.
- Patronage of the directors of the company ends.
Government of India, Act, 1858
- Act known as the Act for the Good Government of India.
- Company rule was replaced by British crown.
- Secretary of State for India was appointed to exercise the power of the Crown. He was a member of British cabinet, responsible to it and was assisted by Council of India with 15 members.
- Governor General became the agent of the crown and now known as Viceroy of India.
- Lord Canning became the rst Viceroy of India.
Indian Councils Act, 1861
- Parliamentary system started in India.
- Indians became non-of cial members of the legislature.
- Started decentralization of power.
- Recognition to the ‘Portfolio’ system, was introduced by Lord Canning in 1859.
Indian Councils Act, 1892
- Introduced indirect elections. Governor General could nominate members.
- Functions of Legislative Council Expanded to discuss the budget and ask questions to the executive.
Indian Councils Act, 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms.
Lord Morley was then the secretary of state for India and Lord Minto was then the viceroy of India).
• Central Legislative Council became imperial Legislative Council with of cials forming the majority.
- Provincial legislative councils had a majority of non-of cial members.
- Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the rst Indian to join the Viceroy’s Executive Council.
- Introduced communal representation for muslims with a separate electorate system. Legalized communalism.
Lord Minto created a communal electorate.
Government of India Act, 1919/ Montague - Chelmsford Reforms. Montague was the secretary of state for India and Lord Chelmeford was the viceroy of India.
- Separated central subjects from provincial subjects.
- Provincial subjects were transferred and reserved.
- Transferred subjects were administered by Governor with the help of ministers who were responsible to the legislature.
- Reserved subjects were administered by Governor and Executive Council who were not responsible to the legislature.
- Dyarchy/ Dual system of government was introduced.
- Bicameral legislature with upper and lower houses were formed with direct elections.
- Majority of members in both houses were directly elected.
- 3 of the 6 members of governor-general’s council had to be Indians.
Government of India Act, 1935
- Established All India federation of provinces & princely states as constituent units.
- It provided for the establishment of Reserve Bank of India, Federal Court, Public Service Commission, Provincial Public Service Commission & Joint Public Service Commission for two or more Provinces.
- Federal, provincial and concurrent were lists introduced.
- Abolished dyarchy in provinces which now had provincial autonomy.
- Introduced dyarchy at the centre and bicameralism in the provinces.
- Introduced responsible governments in provinces.
The August Offer, 1940
- Expansion of the Governor-General’s Executive Council to include more Indians.
- Establishment of an Advisory War Council.
Cripps Proposals, 1942
- Provision made up for participation of Indian States in the Constitution making body.
- The leaders of the principal sections of the Indian people were invited to take active and effective participation in the councils of their country.
C.R. Formula, 1944
• C.R. Raja Gopalchari presented the ‘C.R. Formula’ by which the Muslim League would support the Congress demand for complete freedom.
Wavell Plan, 1945
• Under this plan, India was to be granted Dominion status in the near future.
Lord Attlee’s Announcement, March 1946
On 15 March 1946, Lord Attlee declared that as the tide of nationalism was surging ahead in India, it was in British interest to take positive action.
Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946
- There should be a Union of India, embracing both British India and the states which should deal with foreign affairs.
- To set up Interim Government.
- A Constituent Assembly should be set up to draw up the future Constitution of the country
Indian Independence Act, 1947
- Declared India as independent & sovereign state.
- Established responsible government at the Center & Provinces.
- Designated Governor General of India & Provincial Governors as Constitutional heads or nominal heads.
- Lord Mountbatten became the rst Governor General of free India. The First & last Indian
- Governor General was C. Rajagopalachari.
