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Polity Historical Background Flashcards

1
Q

What is diwani

A

Rights over revenue and civil justice

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2
Q

Laws that Governed India Pre-Constitution

A
  1. Regulating Act 1773
  2. Act of Settlement 1781
  3. Pitt’s India Act, 1784
  4. Charter Act, 1833
  5. Charter Act, 1853
  6. GOI Act 1858
  7. Indian Councils Act 1861
  8. Indian Councils Act 1892
  9. Indian Councils Act 1909
  10. GOI Act 1919
  11. GOI Act 1935
  12. Indian Independence Act 1947
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3
Q

First step taken by British to regulate Indian affairs

A

Regulating Act 1773

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4
Q

Which instrument recognized the political and administrative functions of the EIC

A

Regulating Act 1773

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5
Q

Which instrument laid foundations of central administration in pre-Independence India

A

Regulating Act 1773

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6
Q

First Governor-General of Bengal

A

Warren Hastings

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7
Q

True or False: The Regulating Act 1773 made the Bengal and Madras Presidencies subordinate to the Bombay Presidency

A

FALSE

The Bombay and Madras Presidencies were made subordinate to the Bengal

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8
Q

Which Act established a Supreme Court and Where?

A

Regulating Act 1773, in Calcutta

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9
Q

Features of Regulating Act 1773

A
  1. Designated Bengal Gov. ‘Governor-General’ plus 4-member Executive Council
  2. Made Bbay and Madras govs subordinate to Gov-Gen
  3. Est. Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774)
  4. Prohibited EIC servants from pvt. trade or accepting bribes from natives
  5. Strengthened Brit. Govt. control over EIC
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10
Q

Composition of First Supreme Court

A

one chief justice and three other judges.

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11
Q

Requirements on Court of Directors by Reg. Act 1773

A

The Court of Directors (EIC governing body) had to report on EIC’s revenue, civil, and military affairs in India.

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12
Q

What was the attempt to rectify defects of Regulating Act 1773?

A

Amending Act 1781 aka Act of Settlement

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13
Q

Which Act distinguished between EIC’s commercial and political functions for the first time, and how?

A

Pitt’s India Act, 1784, by establishing the Board of Control

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14
Q

What was Board of Control?

A

Est. by Pitt’s Act (1784), the BOC took over political affairs leaving commercial affairs to the Court of Directors

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15
Q

Features of Pitt’s Act

A
  1. Distinguished between political and commercial functions of EIC
  2. Set up Board of Control to manage revenue and military while Court of Directors managed commercial affairs
  3. System of double govt. by EIC
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16
Q

Which Act established office of Gov. Gen of India?

A

Charter Act, 1833

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17
Q

First Gov-Gen of India

A

William Bentnick

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18
Q

True or False: Bombay and Madras Presidencies were deprived of their legislative powers in 1833

A

TRUE

Charter Act 1833 gave Gov. Gen of India exclusive legislative powers

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19
Q

Under which Act did Gov. Gen of India get exclusive legislative powers?

A

Charter Act 1833

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20
Q

How did Charter Act 1833 affect EIC?

A

EIC’s commercial activities ended and it became a purely administrative entity holding territories in trust on behalf of the Crown

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21
Q

Features of Charter Act of 1833

A
  1. Gov. Gen of Bengal named Gov. Gen of India and given exclusive legislative powers
  2. EIC turned from commercial body to exclusively admin body holding territories in trust for Crown
  3. Attempted to introduce open selection of civil servants including Indians - successfully opposed by Court of Directors
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22
Q

Which Act separated the legislative and executive functions of Gov. Gen of India?

A

Charter Act 1853

23
Q

Which act introduced open selection of civil servants, including Indians?

A

Charter Act 1853

24
Q

True or False: Charter Act 1833 introduced open selection of civil servants including Indians

A

False

Tried, but defeated by Court of Directors. Charter Act 1853 succeeded.

25
Purpose of Macaulay Committee
Appointed in 1854 to oversee recruitment of civil servants
26
Features of Charter Act 1853
1. Separated legislative and executive functions of Gov. Gen of India by est. separate legislative council 2. Introduced open competitive selection for civil servants including indians 3. Didn't specify any date for which EIC would be allowed to hold Indian territories in trust 4. Allowed est. of Macaulay Committee 5. Introduced local representation in legislative council i.e. from other local govts
27
Which local govts were represented in Leg. Council set up by Charter Act 1853
1. Bengal 2. Madras 3. Bombay 4. Agra
28
Which Act signified the beginning of direct Crown rule in India
Government of India Act 1858
29
Features of GOI 1858
1. India was to be directly governed by the British Crown 2. Position of Gov-Gen of India was changed to Viceroy 3. Ended system of double govt by abolishing Board of Control and Court of Directors 4. Created position of Secy. of State for India which had complete authority and control over Indian admin 5. Est. 15-member Council of India with the Secy. of State as its Chairman 6. Constituted the Council of India as a body corporate capable of suing and being sued in India and England
30
First Viceroy of india
Lord Canning
31
True or False - The Secretary of State for India was a member of British Royal Family
False | Member of the Cabinet
32
How many members did the Council of India have?
15 members
33
Which Act established the position of viceroy
GOI 1858
34
Which Act established the position of Secy of State for India
GOI 1858
35
True or False: The Council of India was a regulatory body.
False | Advisory body
36
True or False: The Viceroy of India was the Chairman of the Council of India
False | Secy of State for India
37
True or False: The GOI 1858 substantially altered the system of government prevalent in India
False | It focused on improving supervision and control of Indian Govt
38
Which are the significant Councils Acts
1. 1861 2. 1892 3. 1909
39
What was the goal of the Indian Councils Acts
To seek Indian cooperation in the administration
40
Features of the ICA 1861
1. Provided for Viceroy to nominate Indians as non-official members of expanded council 2. Restored legislative powers to Bombay and Madras 3. Provided for new legislative councils for Bengal, NWFP and Punjab 4. Recognized Lord Canning's "portfolio system" 5. Empowered Viceroy to make rules and orders for convenient transaction of council business 6. Empowered Viceroy to issue ordinances without concurrence of legislative council during emergencies
41
Who were the first 3 Indians included in the Viceroy's Council as non-official members
1. Raja of Benaras 2. Maharaja of Patiala 3. Sir Dinkar Rao
42
Which new legislative councils were established by the ICA 1861
1. Bengal 2. North West Frontier Province (NWFP) 3. Punjab
43
How long would a Viceroy's emergency ordinance last?
6 months
44
What was the portfolio system introduced by ICA 1861
A member of the Viceroy's council was made in charge of one or more depts of the govt and authorised to issue final orders on behalf othe council wrt those depts
45
Which act brought Indians into the Viceroy's Council
ICA 1861
46
Features of the ICA 1892
1. Increased the number of non-official members in Central and provincial legislative councils 2. Gave legislative councils power to discuss budget and address questions to executive 3. Made a limited and indirect provision to use election in filling up non-official seats in the Central and provincial leg. councils
47
Which Act is also known as Morley Minto Reforms
ICA 1909
48
Why was ICA 1909 known as Morley Minto Reforms
Because Lord Morley was the Secy. of State for india and Lord Minto was the Viceroy
49
Features of ICA 1909
1. Considerably increased size of Central and provincial leg. councils 2. While official majority was retained for the Central Council, non-official majority was allowed for the provincial councils 3. Leg. councils were allowed to ask supplementary questions, move resolutions on the budget etc 4. Provided for association of Indians with the executive Councils of Viceroys and Govs.
50
Who was the first Indian to join the Viceroy's Executive Council?
Satyendra Prasad Sinha
51
What position did S.P. Sinha hold on Viceroy's Executive Council?
Law member
52
Which Act introduced the concept of communal electorate for the first time?
ICA 1909 aka Morley Minto Reforms
53
Who's known as the Father of the Communal Electorate
Lord Minto

Polity - UPSC (2 decks)

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