A complete ecosystem for UPSC Civils and State PSC Preparation

Home » Quick Revision Guide » Historical Background of Indian Constitution – Quick Revision Guide

Historical background of Indian constitution

Regulating Act of 1773

The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first step taken by the British Parliament to control and regulate the affairs of the East India Company in India.
Political and administrative functions of the company were recognized for the first time.
Designated the Governor of Bengal as the ‘Governor-General of Bengal’.
The first such Governor General was Lord Warren Hastings.
Provided for the establishment of a Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774).
Prohibited the servants of the Company from engaging in any private trade.

Pitt’s India Act, 1784

Charter Act of 1813

Charter Act of 1833

English East India Company ceased to be a commercial agency in India.
Transformed East India Company from a commercial body to a purely administrative body.
Made the Governor-General of Bengal as the Governor-General of India.
Lord William Bentick was the first Governor-General of India.
Deprived the Governor of Bombay and Madras of their legislative powers.

Charter Act of 1853

Separated the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General’s council
Created a separate Governor-General’s legislative council having six new members(Also known as Indian Central Legislative Council.).
Introduced local representation for the first time.
Introduced an Open competition system for the recruitment of civil servants which was open to Indians also.

Government of India Act of 1858

Also known as the Act for the Good Governance of India.
Designation of Governor General of India was changed to Viceroy.
Governor General Lord Canning became the first Viceroy of India.
Board of Control and Court of directors were abolished transferring all their powers to British Crown.
New office ‘Secretary of state' was created.
A 15-member council of India was created to assist the Secretary of State for India.

Indian Councils Act of 1861

First step to associate Indians to the legislative process.
Lord Canning nominated three Indians to his legislative council – the Raja of Benaras, the Maharaja of Patiala and Sir Dinkar Rao in 1962.
Gave recognition to the portfolio system.
Legislative powers of Madras and Bombay presidencies were restored.

Indian Councils Act of 1892

Made an indirect provision for election.
Increased the number of additional (non-official) members in both Central and provincial legislative councils.
Devolved more power to legislative councils (For example, power of discussing the budget and addressing questions to the executive).

Indian Councils Act 1909

Also known as Morley-Minto Reforms.
Enlarged the size of the legislative council both at Central and Provincial level with more powers to members.
First time allowed the association of Indians with the executive council of the Viceroy.
Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the first Indian to join the Viceroy’s executive council as the Law Member.
Introduced a system of ‘separate electorate’ for Muslim community.

Government of India Act of 1919

Also called Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms or Mont-Ford Reforms.
Provided separate electorates for Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans.
Granted franchise to a limited number of people on the basis of property, tax or education.
Separated the central and provincial subjects for legislation.
Futher divided provincial subjects into two parts– transferred and reserved(Dyarchy).
Separated provincial budgets from the Central budget
Introduced bicameralism and direct elections for the first time.
Provided for the establishment of a Public Service Commission.