Introduction To The Indian Constitution Flashcards
(15 cards)
What was the significance of the Regulating Act of 1773?
It was the first British law to control the East India Company. It established the Governor of Bengal as the Governor-General of India (Warren Hastings).
What did Pitt’s India Act of 1784 introduce?
It separated the commercial and political functions of the East India Company and established a system of dual government.
Why was the Government of India Act 1858 important?
It ended the rule of the East India Company and transferred power to the British Crown. It introduced the Secretary of State for India and made the Governor-General the Viceroy.
What reforms did the Indian Councils Act 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms) introduce?
It introduced separate electorates for Muslims and increased Indian participation in legislative councils.
What was introduced by the Government of India Act 1919?
It introduced Diarchy in provinces, a bicameral legislature at the center, and allowed Indians to control certain departments like education and health.
What were the key features of the Government of India Act 1935?
It abolished Diarchy at the provincial level, introduced it at the center, proposed an All-India Federation, and introduced responsible government in provinces.
What was the purpose of the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946?
To set up a Constituent Assembly to frame the Indian Constitution.
What was the impact of the Indian Independence Act of 1947?
It ended British rule, divided British India into India and Pakistan, and retained the Governor-General as the constitutional head until a new government was formed.
East India Company (EIC)
A British trading company that received a royal charter in 1600 and gradually gained political control over India until 1858.
Diarchy
A dual system of government introduced in the Government of India Act 1919, where some subjects were controlled by Indian ministers and others by British officials.
Separate Electorates
A provision allowing specific communities (like Muslims) to elect their own representatives, first introduced in the 1909 Act.
Charter Acts (1793–1833)
A series of laws that transferred increasing power from the East India Company to the British Crown.
Federalism in India
A system of governance borrowed from the GOI Act 1935, defining the division of powers between the central and state governments.
Parliamentary System
A system of governance inspired by British rule and formalized through the Government of India Acts of 1919 and 1935.
Emergency Provisions
Provisions in the Indian Constitution derived from the GOI Act 1935, allowing special powers during emergencies.
