Historical Background Flashcards
(20 cards)
East India Company had the exclusive rights of trading in India under a charter granted by ________ in ________
Queen Elizabeth I in 1600
In _______, the East India Company obtained the ‘diwani’ of ________
1765
Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
What does ‘diwani’ mean?
Rights over revenue and civil justice
How did East India Company get diwani?
The emperor, Shah Alam, granted it to the Company after its victory in the Battle of Buxar (1764)
The British rule in India is studied under which periods?
- The Company Rule 1773-1858
- The Crown Rule 1858-1947
Which important acts came during the Company rule?
-Regulating Act of 1773
-Amending Act of 1781
-Pitt’s India Act of 1784
-Act of 1786
-Charter Act of 1793
-Charter Act of 1813
-Charter Act of 1833
-Charter Act of 1853
Which important acts came during the Crown rule?
-Government of India Act of 1858
-Indian Councils Act of 1861
-Indian Councils Act of 1892
-Indian Councils Act of 1909
-Indian Councils Act of 1919
-Indian Councils Act of 1935
-Indian Independence Act of 1947
Constitutional importance of Regulating Act of 1773
- First step taken by British government to regulate affairs of EIC in India
- Recognized political and administrative functions of EIC
- Laid foundations of central administration in India
Features of Regulating Act of 1773
- It designated the Governor of Bengal as the ‘Governor-General of Bengal’, created 4 member Executive Council to assist him, and made governors of Bombay and Madras presidencies subordinate to him
- Established Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774) with 1 Chief Justice and 3 other judges
- Prohibited private trade, gifts and bribes for servants of the Company
- Required the Court of Directors to report on its revenue, civil and military affairs in India
Who was the first Governor-General of Bengal?
Lord Warren Hastings
Amending Act of 1781 is also known as
Act of Settlement
Features of Amending Act of 1781
- It exempted the Governor-General and the Council from jurisdiction of the Supreme Court for the acts done by them in their official capacity
- It excluded revenue matters from the jurisdiction of SC
- It gave SC jurisdiction over inhabitants of Calcutta, and administer the personal law of defendants, ie, Hindu law and Mohammedan law
- Appeals from the Provincial Courts could be taken to the Governor-General-in-Council and not to SC
- It empowered the Governor-General-in-Council to frame regulations for the Provincial Courts and Council
Features of Pitt’s India Act of 1784
- It distinguished between the commercial and political functions of the Company by establishing a system of double government, Court of Directors for commercial affairs and Board of Control for political affairs
- It empowered the Board of Control to supervise and direct all operations of the civil and military government or revenues of the British possessions in India
Significance of Pitt’s India Act of 1784
- The Company’s territories in India were for the first time called the ‘British possessions in India’
- The British government was given the supreme control over Company’s affairs and its administration in India
In 1786, who was appointed as the Governor-General of Bengal?
Lord Cornwallis
What demands of Lord Cornwallis were enacted by Act of 1786?
- He should be given power to override the decision of his council in special cases
- He would also be the Commander-in-Chief
Features of Charter Act of 1793
- It extended the overriding power given to Lord Cornwallis to all future Governor-Generals
- It gave the Government-General more power and control over the governments of the subordinate Presidencies of Bombay and Madras
- It extended the trade monopoly of Company in India for another period of 20 years
- It provided that the Commander-in-Chief was not to be a member of the Governor-General’s council, unless he was so appointed
- It laid out that the members of the Board of Control and their staff were, henceforth, to be paid out of the Indian revenues
Features of Charter Act of 1813
- It abolished the trade monopoly of company in India
- It asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over the Company’s territories in India
- It allowed the Christian missionaries to come to India for enlightening the people
- It provided for the spread of western education among the Indians
- It authorised local governments in India to impose taxes on persons
Features of Charter Act of 1833
- It made Governor-General of Bengal as the Governor-General of India vested in him all civil and military powers.
- It deprived the Governor of Bombay and Madras of their legislative powers and gave them to GG of India. 3. The laws made under previous acts were called as Regulations while laws made under this act were called as Acts
- It ended the activities of the EIC as a commercial body, which became purely administrative body
- It provided that the Company’s territories in India were held by it ‘in trust for His Majesty, His heirs and successors’
- It attempted to introduce open competition for selection of civil servants but failed
Features of Charter Act of 1853
- It separated for the first time the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General’s council by establishing a separate Indian(Central) Legislative Council having 6 members
- It introduced open competition for civil services.
- It extended the Company’s rule but did not specify any particular period indicating it could be terminated anytime the British parliament liked
- It introduced local representation in Indian (Central) Legislative Council. Of the 6 members, 4 were appointed by local governments of Madras, Bengal, Bombay and Agra
