Constitutional

Development
From 1773 to 1947

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British came to India as traders, and with the passage of time, they became its
rulers. In 1600 AD, the British East India Company was granted a charter to trade
in East. The company obtained exclusive right to trade with India for 15 years,
and then renewed gradually. A series of acts, beginning from regulating act
1773, were passed to regulate the affairs of the company; renew its charters;
provide for government in India; provide for civil and criminal laws and so. Thus,
the constitutional history of India begins from the Regulating Act 1773.
Regulating Act of 1773 was the first landmark in the constitutional development
of India. Via this act, the British Parliament for the first time interfered into
affairs of India. The Prime Minister of England at the time of Regulating Act of
1773 was Lord North.

Administration of the Company at the time of the Regulating Act 1773

Administration of the East India Company in England was managed by a body

of 24 directors called Court of Directors. This Court of Directors was elected by
shareholders of the company on an annual basis. The collective body of these
shareholders was called the Court of Proprietors. The day-to-day functioning of
the East India Company was done by the committees of the Court of Directors.
In India, three presidencies were established at Bombay, Madras and Kolkata
under a President called Governor-General and his Council or Governor in-
council. All the powers were lodged into the Governor-in-Council, and nothing
could be transacted without the majority of the votes in the council. These
presidencies were independent of each other, and each of them was an
absolute government in its own limits, only responsible to the Court of Directors
in England.

Regulating Act of 1773

(Recognized the Political and Administrative functions of the Company; Passed

by Lord North). The company was going into losses since 1768 because of the
loss of tea sales to America & corruption. About 85% of all the tea in America
was smuggled Dutch tea. The East India Company owed money to both the

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Bank of England and the government. The first step was taken by the British
Parliament to control and regulate the affairs of the East India Company in India.

• The post of 'GOVERNOR' was now made 'GOVERNOR-GENERAL' and

Bengal was the first province to have Warren Hastings as the first
Governor-General. An executive council of four members assisted him.
• It laid down the foundation of central administration in India.
• Governors of Bombay and Madras presidencies were subordinated to the
governor-general of Bengal.
• The Supreme Court at Calcutta was established with one chief justice and
three other judges. Sir Elijah Impey was the Chief Justice.
• Court of Directors was the governing body of the Company. COD
reported to the British Government on several matters.
• Under this Act, a government was established in the Calcutta Presidency,
in which the Governor-General and four members of his executive council
used their power jointly.
Regulating Act of 1773 was amended in 1781, also known as the Act of
Settlement. The 1781 amendment exempted the actions of the public servants
in the company in their official capacity from the jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court. The Supreme court’s geographic jurisdiction became limited to only
Calcutta.

Revenue collectors (including Zamindars) and judicial officers of the company

courts were exempted from Jurisdiction of the SC.

By this act, Governor of Calcutta was authorized to frame law for Bengal, Bihar
and Orissa.

Pitts India Act of 1784

(Distinguished between the Commercial and Political functions of the

Company)

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Created another body- ‘BOARD OF CONTROL’ to manage political affairs in

India. COURT OF DIRECTORS kept on managing commercial affairs though (i.e.,
System of Double Government).

• Thus, the Company’s possessions were for the first time called ‘British
possessions in India’.
• The Act was introduced by the then British Prime Minister William Pitt.
• Apart from the Secretary of State and the Finance Minister, four other
members were appointed to this board, who were appointed by the
British crown.

Act of 1786
• Pitt passed the Act of 1786; whose main objective was to prepare
Cornwallis for the post of Governor-General of India.
• Under this Act, the powers of the Chief Commander were also vested in
the Governor-general.
• The Governor-General could cancel the decisions of the Council at a
particular stage, also implement the decisions.

Charter Act of 1793

• The Charter Act 1793 or the East India Company Act 1793 was passed by
the British Parliament to renew the charter of East India Company. This
act authorized the company to carry on trade with India for next 20 years.
• More Powers to Governor-General - In this act, the Governor-General
was empowered to disregard the majority in the Council in special
circumstances. Thus, more powers were entrusted in him. The Governor-
General and respective governors of the other presidencies could now
override the respective councils, and the commander in chief was not
now the member of Governor General’s council, unless he was specially
appointed to be a member by the Court of Directors.
• Separation of revenue and judiciary functions - This act reorganized
the courts and redefined their jurisdictions. The revenue administration

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was divorced from the judiciary functions, and this led to the
disappearing of the Maal Adalats.

Charter Act of 1813

• Due to Napoleon’s continental system & the policy of Free trade in

England at the time of Industrial Revolution.
• Ended the monopoly of the trading rights of British East India Company
and allowed other companies to participate in trading activities with
India.
• However, the Company’s monopoly to trade with China and trade in tea
with India was kept intact.
• It defined the constitutional position of the British territories in India for
the very first time.
• Provision was made to set aside Rs 1 lakh to educate the Indians by the
Company.

Charter Act of 1833

• East India Company was deprived of its commercial privileges which it
enjoyed so far.
• Governor-General (of Bengal) became the Governor-General of India.
First Governor-general of India was Lord William Bentick. This was the
final step towards centralization in British India.
• Beginning of a Central legislature for India as the act also took away
legislative powers of Bombay and Madras provinces.
• The Act ended the activities of the East India Company as a commercial
body and it became a purely administrative body.
• The charter act of 1833 legalized the British colonization of India and the
territorial possessions of the company were allowed to remain under its
government, but were held “in trust for his majesty, his heirs and
successors” for the service of Government of India.
• The number of the members of the Governor General’s council was
again fixed to 4, which had been reduced by the Pitt’s India act 1784.
However, certain limits were imposed on the functioning of the 4th

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member. For example, the 4th member was not entitled to act as a
member of the council except for legislative purposes. For the first, this
fourth members of the council were Lord Macaulay.
• The charter act of 1833 is considered to be an attempt to codify all the
Indian Laws. The British parliament, as a supreme body, retained the right
to legislate for the British territories in India and repeal the acts. Further,
this act provided that all laws made in India were to be laid before the
British parliament and were to be known as Acts. In a step towards
codifying the laws, the Governor-General-in-Council was directed under
the Charter act of 1833, to set up an Indian law Commission.
• The Charter Act of 1833, declared that “no native of the British territories
in India, nor any natural-born subject of His majesty” therein, shall by
any reason only by his religion, place of birth, descent, colour or any of
them be disabled from holding any place, office or employment under
the company”. Thus, the Charter act of 1833 was the first act which made
provision to freely admit the natives of India to share an administration
in the country. The charter act of 1833 also provided the Haileybury
college of London should make quota to admit the future civil servants.
However, this system of open competition was not effectively operated
in the near future.

Charter Act of 1853

• In England, the Charter Act of 1853 reduced the number of Directors of

the Company from 24 to 18. Out of these 18, six were to be appointed by
the crown.
• Charter Act of 1853 marks the expansion of the Council of the Governor-
General for legislative purposes. The fourth member was placed at an
equal status with other members. The council of legislative purposes
which had six members now was expanded to 12 members. These 12
members were the Governor-General, the commander in Chief, Members
of the Governor General’s Council=4, Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court (Calcutta) =1, a regular judge of the Supreme court Calcutta=1,

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representative members drawn from the company’s servants with ten

years minimum tenure and appointed by the local governments of
Bengal, Madras, Bombay and North Western provinces=4. [Total =12]
• Charter Act of 1853 deprived the Court of Directors of its right of
Patronage to Indian appointments, and now it was to be exercised under
the regulations. This was the Birth of Civil Services which was thrown in
1854 for open competition.
• The Charter Act 1853 indicated clearly that the rule of the Company was
not going to last a long time. The power and influence of the company
were curtailed. Further, marks the beginning of the Parliamentary system
in India because of the key feature that Legislative Council was clearly
distinguished from the Executive Council. The Governor-General was
relieved of the administrative duties of Bengal. He was to devote his
whole time to work for the Government of India.

Government of India Act 1858

• The Government of India Act 1858 marked the beginning of a new

chapter in the constitutional history of India. The Act known as the Act
for the Good Government of India, provided for liquidation of East India
Company and transferred the powers of government, territories and
revenues to the British Crown.
• The British prime Minister, Palmerstone introduced a Bill in 1858 in the
parliament for the transfer of Government of India to the Crown.
However, before this bill was to be passed, Palmerstone was forced to
resign on another issue. Later, Lord Stanley introduced another bill which
was originally titled as “An Act for the Better Government of India” and
it was passed on August 2, 1858. It is called Government of India Act 1858
or 1858 Act.
• Government of India Act 1858 provided that India was to be governed
directly and in the name of the crown. This act abolished the company
rule, abolished the Court of directors and abolished the Board of control.
This act abolished the Dual Government introduced by the Pitt’s India

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act. The principle of Doctrine of Lapse was withdrawn, liberty was given
to Indian rulers subject to British suzerainty, and it also opened some
door for Indians in Government services.
• The act provided the Crown will govern India directly through a Secretary
of State for India, who was to exercise the powers which were being
enjoyed by the Court of Directors and Board of control. The office of the
secretary of state was vested with complete authority and control over
Indian administration; thus, he was now the political head of India. He
was also a member of the British cabinet and was responsible ultimately
to the British Parliament.
• Lord Stanley was made first Secretary of state for India. He had been
earlier the President of the Board of Control.
• The GOI Act 1858 provided for Council of India of the Secretary of the
State. It was to be consisted of 15 members, 7 of them were to be elected
by the Court of Directors, and the rest of 8 members were to be
appointed by the Crown. Secretary of State of India was empowered to
preside at the meetings of the Indian Council. He was to have a vote and
also a casting of vote in case of a tie. He was also empowered to send
and receive secret messages and dispatches from Governor-General and
was not bound to communicate these to the Indian Council.
• The Secretary of State for India was a cabinet minister in the British
Government while his agent in India was the Governor-General in India.
Thus, Governor-General worked as a representative of the British
Government, much like today’s governors work as representatives of
the President of India. Viceroy was made responsible to Secretary of State
for India. Viceroy was to be a direct representative of the British Crown
in India. Lord Canning thus became the first Viceroy of India.

India Council Act 1861

• The Indian Councils Act 1861 was passed by the British Parliament on 1st
August 1861 to make substantial changes in the composition of the
Governor General’s council for executive & legislative purposes. The

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most significant feature of this Act was the association of Indians with
the legislation work. The executive council of Governor-general was
added a fifth finance member. For the legislative purpose, a provision
was made for an addition of 6 to 12 members to the central executive. At
least half of the additional members were to be non-officials.
• Introduction of Portfolio System - The Act empowered the Governor-
General to delegate the special task to individual members of the
Executive council and hence all members have their own portfolio and
death with their own initiative with all but the most important matters.
• Process of Decentralization- The Governments of Bombay and Madras
were given the power of nominating Advocate-General and not less than
four and not more than eight additional members of the Executive
council for the purpose of the legislation. Further, the act provided for
the establishment of new legislative councils for Bengal, North Western
Frontier Province and Punjab, which were established in 1862, 1866, and
1897 respectively.
• No distinction between Central and Provincial subjects

Indian Councils Act 1892

• Indian Councils Act 1892 was passed by the British Parliament to increase
in the size of the legislative councils. This act marks the beginning of the
representative form of Government in India.
• The act provided for additional members in the central as well as
provincial legislative councils.
o Central Legislative Council → minimum 10, maximum 16
o Bombay → 8, Madras → 20, Bengal → 20, North-Western province
→15, Oudh →15
• The powers of the legislative councils were increased. The members
could now discuss the budget without the right to vote on it. They were
also not allowed to ask supplementary questions.
• A system of indirect elections was introduced to elect the members of
the councils. The universities, district board, municipalities, zamindars

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and chambers of commerce were empowered to recommend members

to provincial councils.
• The act of 1892 can be said to be a first step towards the beginning of
the representative government in India. However, such representation
was via only indirect elections, and there was nothing for a common
Indian.
• Nevertheless, the act at least provided the Indians with an opportunity to
share councils at the highest levels and thus laid down the foundations
of the representative government. The number of Indians was increased
in the legislative councils. The Act was an important milestone that led to
the establishment of parliamentary government at a larger stage.

Indian Councils Act 1909 (Morley Minto reforms)

• The Indian Councils Act 1909 or Morley-Minto Reforms or Minto-Morley

Reforms was passed by British Parliament in 1909 in an attempt to widen
the scope of legislative councils, placate the demands of moderates in
Indian National Congress and to increase the participation of Indians the
governance. This act got royal assent on 25 May 1909.
• Resentment against the reign of Lord Curzon & rise of extremism in the
congress formed the background. The idea was to give locals some more
power in legislative affairs. A provision was made for the expansion of
legislative councils at both the levels viz. central as well as provincial.
• Expansion of the Legislative Councils - The act enlarged the size of the
legislative council both Central and Provincial. The number of members
in the Central Legislative Council was raised from 16 to 60.
• Communal Representation - It introduced separate and discriminatory
electorate. The electorate was decided on the basis of class &
community. For the provincial councils a provision of three categories
was made viz. general, special and chambers of commerce. However, for
the central council, a fourth category Muslims was added. This was for
the first time that, the seats in the legislative bodies were reserved on the
basis of religion for Muslims.

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• The act empowered the members to discuss the budget and move
resolutions before it was approved finally. They were given rights to ask
supplementary questions and move resolutions to on matters related to
loans to the local bodies.
• A shadow rather than substance
• The reforms of 1909 afforded no answer and could afford no answer to
the Indian political problem. The Act rather added a new political
problem with the introduction of the separate electorate system. While
the parliamentary forms were introduced, no responsibility was
conceded. At the same time, there was no connection between the
supposed primary voter and a man who sits as his representative on the
Legislative Council.

Merits of Minto-Morley Reforms

Nevertheless, the Minto-Morley Reforms had some of their merits. They mark
an important stage in the growth of the representative institution, and one step
ahead towards the responsible association of elected Indians with the
administration. Further, it also gave recognition to the elective principle as the
basis of the composition of the legislative council for the first time. It gave some
further avenues to Indians to ventilate their grievances. They also got the
opportunity to criticize the executives and make suggestions for better
administration.

Government of India Act 1919

• Edwin Samuel Montagu had remained the Secretary of State for India
between 1917 and 1922. On 20 August 1917, he made a historic
declaration in the House of Commons in British Parliament which is called
“Montague declaration”. A detailed report on Constitutional Reforms
in India {Mont-Ford Report} was published on 8th July, 1918. This report
became the basis of Government of India Act 1919. Key features of this
report were as follows:
• Preamble - The Government of India Act 1919 had a separate Preamble.
It said that India will remain an integral part of the British Empire while

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there shall be a gradual decentralization of authority with loosening the

supreme hold of the central government. The time and manner towards
the goal of responsible government will be decided by the British
Parliament.
• Introduction of Dyarchy: Reserved and Transferred Subjects - In
Government of India Act 1919 the spheres of the central and provincial
governments were demarcated by a division of subjects into “central”
and “provincial”. Generally speaking, the central subjects included all
subjects directly administered by the Government of India or in which
extra-provincial interests were dominant. The provincial subjects
included subjects in which the interests of the provinces essentially
predominated.
• The Dyarchy was for the Provincial Governments. The provincial subjects
were divided into two categories viz. reserved and transferred. The
reserved subjects were kept with
o the Governor and transferred subjects were kept with Governor
acting with the Indian Ministers.
• Changes in Indian Council- The Indian Council was to be made of not
less than eight and not more than 12 members.
• Governor General’s Executive Council- A provision was made for the
inclusion of three Indians in the six-member Council of the Governor-
General.
• Central Legislature- Via the Government of India Act 1919, a bicameral
legislature was set up at centre with two houses viz. Legislative Assembly
and Council of State. This was a primitive model of India’s Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha.
• Legislative Assembly- Legislative Assembly was the lower house with
three years as its tenure. It was made of 145 members of which 41 were
nominated, and 104 were elected. The 41 nominated members included
26 officials and 15 non-officials. Governor-General was authorised to
make nominations from Anglo Indians, Indian Christians and Labour to
the legislative assembly to safeguard their interests.

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• Council of State- The Council of state of upper house had 60 members

of which 33 were elected while 27 were nominated. Out of the 33 elected
members, 16 were general, 11 Muslims, 3 Europeans and 1 Sikh. Out of
27 nominated members, 17 were officials and 10 were non-officials. The
tenure of the Council of State was five years.
• Financial Powers- The act separated, for the first time, provincial
budgets from the Central budget and authorised the provincial
legislatures to enact their budgets.
• Elections and Franchise- Under the Government of India Act 1919, the
franchise was restricted. There was no universal franchise, no adult
suffrage and no voting powers for women. The qualifications for voting
were as follows:
• They should have a property with rental value, taxable income or paid
land revenue of at least Rs. 3000 in a year.
• They must have past experience in the legislative council.
• They must have a membership of the university senate.
• They should hold certain offices in local bodies.
• They should have some specified titles.
• The above qualifications were so much restrictive that there were only
1700 voters for the election of 33 members.

Government of India Act 1935

• All India Federation - The proposed all India federation included 11

provinces of British India, 6 Chief Commissioners Provinces and those
princely states who might accede to the federation. For princely states,
the accession to the Federation was voluntary. The federation could not
be established until:
o A number of states, the rulers whereof were entitled to choose not
less than half of the 104 seats of the council of state, and
o The aggregate population whereof amounted to be at least one
half of the total population of all the Indian stales had acceded to
the federation

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• Dyarchy at Centre - Under this act, the executive authority of the centre
was vested in the Governor-General on behalf of the Crown. The federal
subjects were divided into two-fold categories of Reserved and
Transferred subjects.
• Federal Legislature - The bicameral federal legislature would be
consisted of two houses viz. Council of states and Federal Assembly. The
Council of States was to be upper house and a permanent body with one-
third of its members retiring every 3rd year. It was to be composed of
260 members of which 156 were to be representatives of British India
while 101 of the Indian states.
• Representatives of British India - The 150 out of 156 representatives of
British India were to be elected on a communal basis while six were to be
nominated by Governor-General from amongst women, minorities and
depressed classes. Further, the seats which were reserved for Hindus,
Muslims and Sikhs had to be filled via direct election while those reserved
for Europeans, Anglo-Indians, Indian Christians and Depressed Classes
were to be filled by Indirect election.
• Representatives of Princely states - The distribution of the seats among
states was on their relative importance and not population. The
representatives of the princely states would be nominated by rulers.
• Provincial Autonomy - The act divided the powers between the Centre
and provinces in terms of three list-Federal List (for Centre, with 59 items),
Provincial List (for Provinces, with 54 items), and Concurrent list (for both,
with 36 items). Residuary powers were given to the Viceroy.
• Establishment of Federal Court - The Government of India Act, 1935
provided for the establishment of Federal Court to interpret the Act and
adjudicate disputes relating to the federal matters. It provided that the
Federal Courts should consist of one Chief justice and not more than six
judges.
• Abolition of Indian Council - It abolished the council of India,
established by the Government of India Act of 1858. The secretary of
state for India was provided with a team of advisors in its place.

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• Extension of Franchise - The act extended the franchise. This act

introduced for the first time the direct elections. About 10% of the total
population got voting rights.
• Implications of the GOI Act 1935 - The proposal for setting up of the
Federation of India did not materialize because the act proposed that
federation could come into existence only if as many princely states
(which had been given the option to join or not to join) were entitled to
one-half of the state’s seats in the upper house of the federal
legislature.
• What happened to Dominion status? - The Simon commission had
promised ‘Dominion Status’ for India in 1929, but the Government of
India Act did not confer it. This act by providing separate electorates for
Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Europeans, Anglo Indians, Indian Christians etc.
proved to be further an instrument of disintegrating India. It was over
obstructing, and Nehru called it “all breaks, no engine”.

Indian Independence Act of 1947

• The Indian Independence Act was based upon the Mountbatten plan of
3rd June 1947 and was passed by the British parliament on July 5, 1947. It
received royal assent on July 18, 1947.
• It provided for two dominion states: India and Pakistan
• The boundaries between the two dominion states were to be determined
by a Boundary Commission which was headed by Sir Cyril Radcliff.
• It provided for the partition of Punjab & Bengal and separate boundary
commissions to demarcate the boundaries between them.
• Pakistan was to comprise the West Punjab, East Bengal, Territories of the
Sind, North West frontier provinces, Syllhat divisions of Assam,
Bhawalpur, khairpur, Baluchistan and eight other princely states of
Baluchistan.
• The authority of the British Crown over the princely states ceased, and
they were free to join either India or Pakistan or remain independent.
Both the dominions of India and Pakistan were to have Governor

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Generals to be appointed by the British King. The act also provided for a
common Governor-general if both of them agreed.
• The constituent assemblies of both states were free to make constitutions
of their respective countries.
• For the time being until the constitution was made, both of them would
be governed in accordance with the Government of India act 1935. Any
modification or omission could be done by the Governor-General.
• Those civil servants who had been appointed before August 15, 1947, will
continue in service with the same privileges.
• Aftermath: Jinnah left for Karachi on August 7, 1947. Here the
Constituent assembly of Pakistan met on August 11, 1947, and elected
him the President. Three days later he was sworn in as Governor-General
of Pakistan. On the midnight of 14 August and 15 August 1947, India and
Pakistan came into existence. The Constituent assembly then appointed
Lord Mountbatten as the First Governor-General of the Indian Dominion.
In the morning of August 15, 1947, a new cabinet headed by Jawaharlal
Nehru was sworn in.

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