Crown Rule

 Government of India Act- 1858

  • First War of Independence or the ‘sepoy mutiny’ (Revolt of 1857).
  • Governor-General of India to Viceroy of India (Lord Canning).
  • Abolishing the Board of Control and Court of Directors.
  • Create Secretary of State for India (Members of the British cabinet) - 15 member council of India to assist the Secretary of State for India.
Indian council Act 1861
  • Landmark in the constitutional and political history of India.
  • Indians as non-official members of his expanded council. 1862, Lord Canning nominated three Indians to legislative council – the Raja of Benaras, the Maharaja of Patiala and Sir Dinkar Rao.
  • Process of Decentralization.
  • Establishment of new legislative councils for Bengal (1862), North-Western Provinces (1886) and Punjab (1897).
  • ‘Portfolio’ system (1859). – Foundation of Cabinet system in India.
  • Viceroy to issue ordinances - life of such an ordinance was six months.
Indian Council Act 1892
  • Increased the number of additional (non-official) members (10 < 16) in legislative Council, but maintained the official majority.
  • Power of discussing the budget and addressing questions to the executive.
  • Nomination of some non-official members
  • Central Legislative Council by the viceroy on the recommendation of the provincial legislative councils and the Bengal Chamber of Commerce.
  • That of the provincial legislative councils by the Governors on the recommendation of the district boards, municipalities, universities, trade associations, zamindars and chambers.
The Indian Council Act 1909 / Morley- Minto reforms
  • Increased the size of the legislative councils, Central legislative council was 16 to 60. Provincial legislative councils were not uniform.
  • Official majority in the Central legislative council. Non-Official Majority in provincial legislative councils.
  • Ask supplementary questions, move resolutions on the budget and so on.
  • Association of Indians with the executive councils - Satyendra Prasad Sinha (Law Member) - first Indian to join the Viceroy’s executive council.
  • Communal representation - Separate electorate – Act ‘legalised communalism
  • Lord Minto – Father of Communal Electrate.
Government of India Act 1919/Montagu Chelmsford reforms
  • Separating the Central and provincial subjects.
  • Transferred - administered by the Governor with the aid of Ministers responsible to the legislative council.
  • Reserved - administered by the Governor and his executive council without being responsible to the legislative council.
  • Bicameralism (Upper House – Council of State, Lower House – Legislative Assembly) and direct elections.
  • Required that the three of the six members of the Viceroy’s executive Council (other than the Commander-in-Chief) were to be Indian.
  • Providing separate electorates for Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans.
  • Created a new office of the High Commissioner for India in London.
  • Establishment of a public service commission.
  • Provincial Budget & Central Budget.
  • Appointment of a statutory commission
Government of India Act of 1935
  • Federal List (for Centre, with 59 items), Provincial List (for provinces, with 54 items) and the Concurrent List (for both, with 36 items)
  • Abolished dyarchy.
  • Bicameralism in six out of eleven provinces. Thus, the legislatures of Bengal, Bombay, Madras, Bihar, Assam and the United Provinces.
  • Principle of Communal representation - electorates for depressed classes (Scheduled Castes), women and labour (workers).
  • Abolished the Council of India, secretary of state for India was provided with a team of advisors.
  • Extended franchise.
  • Establishment of a Reserve Bank of India.
  • Provincial Public Service Commission & Joint Public Service Commission.
  • Establishment of a Federal Court, 1937.

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