Constitutional Development – I

for RPSC
Presented by:
Sweta Kumari
Historical Background
 Constitutional Development under Company (1600-1858)
 Charter Act, 1600
 Charter Act, 1726
 Regulating Act, 1773
 Amending Act, 1781
 PittsIndia Act, 1784
 Charter Act , 1793
 Charter Act, 1833
 Charter Act, 1853

 Constitutional Development under British Government (1858-

1947)
Charter Act, 1600

 East India Company incorporated on 31st December 1600

 Life span of 15 years was given to Company
 Company was given exclusive trading rights
 British Subjects could carry on trade only after getting a license from
company
 Presidency of Bombay, Madras and
Culcatta Established
Governor

24 Directors

Shareholders
Charter Act, 1726

 Charter issued by King George I on 24th Sept 1726

 It initiated the system of Appeal from Indian Courts to Privy Council in
England.
Regulating Act, 1773

 Designated Governor of Bengal as Governor General of Bengal.

 Warren Hastings was the first Governor General.
 British government to regulate affairs of East India Co. through a council of 4
members
 Established a Supreme Court at Calcutta.
Amending Act, 1781

 Passed by British Parliament on 5th July 1781

 Objective was to remove the defects of Regulating Act 1773.
 Demarcated the relations between the Supreme Court and the Governor
General in Council.
 Revenue collectors (including Zamindars) and judicial officers of the company
courts were also exempted from Jurisdiction of the SC.
Pitts India Act, 1784

 Indian affairs under direct control of British government.

 Board of Control was established.
 East India Company’s political functions were differentiated from its
commercial activities for the first time
Charter Act of 1793

 Salary of company to drawn from the Indian exchequer.

 The Governor General and governors to override the decision of Councils.
 Company got monopoly of trade with India for another 20 years
Charter Act, 1813

 End of Monopoly of East India Company

 Permission to Christian Missionaries
Charter Act, 1833

 Governor General of Bengal became Governor General of India.

 Lord William Bentinck was the first Governor General of India.
 The Act centralized British rule in India.
 Created Government of India, with authority over all of British India.
 East India Co. lost its monopoly of tea trade and China trade.
 The Indian Civil Services was founded.
Charter Act, 1853

 Separated legislative & executive functions of Governor General’s Council.

 Open competition for Indian Civil Services.
 Patronage of the directors of the company ends.
Historical Background
 Constitutional Development under Company (1600-1858)

 Constitutional Development under British Government

(1858-1947)
 Govt. of India Act, 1858
 Indian Council Act, 1861
 Indian Council Act, 1892
 Indian Council Act , 1909
 Govt. of India Act, 1919
 Govt. Of India Act, 1935
 Indian Independence Act, 1947