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.
