Regulating Act of 1773
- It was the first step taken by the British Government to control and regulate the affairs of the East India Company in India.
- It recognised, for the first time, the political and administrative functions of the Company.
- It laid the foundations of central administration in India.
- Designated the Governor of Bengal as the ‘Governor General of Bengal’ and created an Executive Council of four members to assist him. The first such GovernorGeneral was Lord Warren Hastings.
- Made the governors of Bombay and Madras presidencies subordinate to the governor-general of Bengal.
- Establishment of a Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774) comprising one chief justice and three other judges.
- Prohibited the servants of the Company from engaging in any private trade or accepting presents or bribes from the ‘natives’.
Amending Act of 1781
- Exempted the Governor-General and the Council; as well as the servants of the company from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
- Excluded the revenue matters from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
- Hindus were to be tried according to the Hindu law and Muslims were to be tried according to the Mohammedan law.
- Appeals from the Provincial Courts could be taken to the Governor-General-in-Council and not to the Supreme Court.
Pitt’s India Act of 1784
- Separated the commercial and political functions of the Company.
- Established a system of Double Government – Court of Directors to manage the commercial affairs; Board of Control to manage the political affairs.
- Company’s territories in India were for the first time called the ‘British possessions in India’.
- British Government was given the supreme control over Company’s affairs and its administration in India.
Amending Act of 1786
- Governor-General of Bengal given power to override the decision of his council in special cases.
- Governor-General of Bengal would also be the Commander-in-Chief.
Charter Act of 1793
- Governor-General was given more powers and control over the governments of the subordinate Presidencies of Bombay and Madras.
- Extended the trade monopoly of the Company in India for another period of twenty years.
- Members of the Board of Control and their staff were to be paid out of the Indian revenues.
Charter Act of 1813
- Abolished the trade monopoly of the company in India except trade in tea and trade with China.
- Asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over the Company’s territories in India.
- Allowed the Christian missionaries to come to India to enlighten the people.
- Provided for the spread of western education in India.
- Authorised the Local Governments in India to impose taxes on persons.
Charter Act of 1833
- Governor-General of Bengal made as the Governor General of India.
- Deprived the Governor of Bombay and Madras of their legislative powers.
- Ended the activities of the East India Company as a commercial body, which became a purely administrative body.
- Introduce a system of open competition for selection of civil servants.
- Stated that Indians should not be debarred from holding any place, office and employment under the Company.
Charter Act of 1853
- Extended the Company’s rule and allowed it to retain the possession of Indian territories.
- Separated, for the first time, the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General’s council.
- Established a separate Governor-General’s legislative council – Indian (Central) Legislative Council.
- Introduced an open competition for civil services.
- Introduced, for the first time, local representation in the Indian (Central) Legislative Council.
- Of the six new legislative members of the Governor General’s council, four members were appointed by the local (provincial) governments of Madras, Bombay, Bengal and Agra.
