History - Road To a Responsible Government

Provisions of 1773 Act

• Court of Directors hitherto elected every year would be elected for 4 years
• Total number of Directors 24,one fourth retiring every year
• A Governor General in Bengal with four members to assist him and the quorum was 3
• The member of Governor Generals EC to hold office for 5 years
• The Governor General will have authority over Madras and Bombay
• Supreme court was created
• The court was given both original and appellate jurisdiction

Provisions of 1784 Act

• A Board of Control with 6 members
• Court of Directors retained real executive power and patronage and Board of control no power of patronage
• The members of Governor Generals EC was reduced to 3
• Only Covenanted servants will be appointed as members of the Council of Governor General
• The Presidencies of Bombay and Madras were subordinated to the Governor General
• Prohibition of aggressive wars and treaties with Indian princes

Provisions of 1813 Act

• Company was deprived of monopoly of trade except trade with China and trade in tea
• Rs 1 lakh for education in India

Provisions of 1833 Act

• Centralized government in India and the Governor General of Bengal was made the Governor General of India
• Bombay and Madras completely subordinated to the Governor General
• A new member, a Law member in the Governor General's EC
• Company lost its monopoly of tea trade and trade with China
• "No Indian or natural born subject of the Crown resident in India by reason of birth,colour,descent, be disqualified for any employment under the company
• Government of India to take serious measures to ameliorate the condition of slaves

Provisions of 1853 Act

• The law member was made a full member
• The number of Court of Directors reduced to 18, 6 nominated by the Crown and the quorum was fixed at 10
• The power of patronage of the Directors was curbed
• Services thrown to open competition

Provisions of 1858 Act

• A Secretary of State for India and he will be assisted by 15 members of which 8 to be nominated by the Crown whereas 7 to be nominated by the Court of Directors
• Half of the members must have worked in India for at least 10 years
• Governor General was made Viceroy
• Appointment to the Covenanted servants to be made by open competitive examination

Provisions of 1861 Act

• Introduction of Portfolio system
• A fifth member added to Viceroy's EC and he has to be a gentleman of legal profession
• For legislative purpose Viceroy's EC was expanded by the addition of not less than 6 and not more than 12 members half of which must be non officials
• Their tenure for 6 months
• Power of Bombay and Madras Presidencies restored

Provisions of 1892 Act

• Two fifth of the members of the council to be non officials
• Principle of election introduced
• Members could ask questions and general discussion on budget was allowed

Some points to remember

• PSC introduced by the act of 1919
• The preamble of the Act of 1919 was based on the August declaration of 1917
• The income qualification of Hindu candidates was much more than that of Muslim candidates by the Act of 1909
• Introduction of election by the Act of 1909
• The details of electoral qualification and seat allocation was left to local authorities by the act of 1909
• The Act of 1919 was the most short lived act
• An Indian was appointed to the Viceroy's EC for the first time by the Act of 1909
• By the Act of 1909 Executive Councils were created for Bengal,Bihar,Orissa and UP
• By the Act of 1935, Council of States to have 250 members and Federal Assembly 375 members wherein Princely states to send 104 and 125 nominated candidates respectively
• Provincial autonomy was granted by the Act of 1935.
• A Federation by the Act of 1935 could not be formed unless states sent not less than 104 members to the Council of the States