The Crown Rule in India (1858 – 1947)
| Government of India Act, 1858 | This act is also known as the Act for the Good Government of India. The East India Company was abolished by this act and transferred all powers to the British Crown. The system of Double Government was abolished. A new office of the Secretary of State for India was created, which had complete control over the Indian administration. |
| Indian Councils Act, 1861 | The participation of Indian representatives in the law-making process began. In 1862, Lord Canning nominated three Indians Raja of Banaras, Maharaja of Patiyala, and Sir Dinkar Rao to the Legislative Council. Indian Council Act, of 1861 provided for the establishment of new legislative Councils for Bengal, North-Western Provinces, and Punjab, which were established in 1862, 1886, and 1897. In 1859, Lord Canning introduced the portfolio system, Under this, a member of the Viceroy’s Council could be placed in charge of one or more government departments and was given the authority to pass final orders on behalf of the council in the department. The Viceroy was given the power to issue ordinances in an emergency without the concurrence of the Legislative Council. |
| Indian Council Act, 1892 | By this act, the governors were given the power to nominate members to the provincial legislative councils. The Act made a limited and indirect provision for the use of elections in filling non-official seats in the Central and Provincial Legislative Councils. Authorized the Legislative Council to debate the budget and answer questions of the executive. |
| Indian Councils Act, 1909 | This act is also known as Morley- Minto reforms. Morley was the then Secretary of State for India and Minto was the then Viceroy of India. The Act provided for the association of Indians with the Executive Council of the Viceroy and the Governor for the first time. Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the first Indian to join the Viceroy Executive Council. He was appointed Law Member. It introduced a system of communal representation for the Muslims through separate electorates and hence Lord Minto came to be known as the Father of Communal Electorate. |
| Government of India Act, 1919 | This act came into force in 1921. It is also known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms. Montagu was the Secretary of State for India and Lord Chelmsford was the Viceroy of India. This act separated the list of central and provincial subjects and empowered the central and provincial legislatures to make laws on their respective list of subjects. Further divided Provincial subjects into two parts.Transferred SubjectsReserved SubjectsNote: This dual scheme of governance was known as ‘Dyarchy’.It introduced bicameralism and direct elections for the first time in the country. It replaced the Indian Legislative Council with a bicameral legislature. The bicameral legislature consists of two houses.Upper House(Council of State)Lower House(Legislative Assembly) It created the Office of the High Commissioner of India in London and transferred to him some of the functions hitherto performed by the Secretary of State for India. Public Service Commission was established by this act in 1926. |
| Government of India Act, 1935 | It was a lengthy and detailed document with 321 Sections and 10 Schedules.It established the All- India Federation consisting of provinces and princely states as units. The Act divided the powers between the Centre and Provinces in terms of three lists: Federal List(for the Centre, with 59 items)Provincial List(for provinces, with 54 items)Concurrent List(for both, with 36 items) It abolished diarchy in the provinces and introduced provincial autonomy in its place. Diarchy was implemented at the center and the federal subjects were divided into reserved subjects and transferred subjects, although this provision could never be implemented. It expanded the system of communal representation by providing separate electorates for the depressed classes(Scheduled Castes) women and labor.By this act, about 10 percent of the total population was given the right to vote. It provided the establishment of the Reserve bank of India in 1935It established the Federal Public Service Commission, Provincial Service Commission, and Joint Public Service Commission for two or more provinces. Federal Court was established by this act in 1937 |
| Indian Independence Act, 1947 | It ended British rule and declared India an independent and sovereign state on 15th August 1947.This act provided for the partition of India and the creation of two independent dominions of India and Pakistan. It abolished the office of Viceroy and in its place created the post of Governor-General in both countries. They were appointed by the British King on the recommendation of both nations. The British government had no control over them. By Indian Independence Act, of 1947 dropped the title of Emperor of India from the royal titles of the King of England. |
