CHAPTER 3 : HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (PART 2)
Part 2 - Administrative reforms from 1857 to 1919:
- Government of India Act, 1858 :
- After the revolt of 1857, this act provided the British absolute imperial control over India.
- This act was passed at Allahabad on 1 Nov 1858.
- It is also known as Good Governance Act .
- Lord Canning was given the position of Governor General as well as Viceroy of India.
- In this act, the territorial division of governance in India was done.
- Government of India Act, 1861 :
- The powers of the crown were to be exercised by the Secretary of State for India assisted by the council 15 members.
- High courts formation at Kolkata, Bombay and Madras which were started in the 1862
- 5th member of the executive council as Finance Minister.
- Portfolio system was introduced (i.e. Different Ministry for Different Works -- Formation of Education ministry, Finance ministry)
- Lord Canning added 3 Indians to the council ( Raja of Banaras, Maharaja of Patiala, Sir Dinkar Rao) at that time.
- Governor/Viceroy ---responsible to --- Secretary of State ( in London) ---responsible to ---Queen.
- Government of India Act, 1892 :
- Indirect elections of the non- official members of the Indian Legislative Council which were to be nominated by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce.( Indirectly by the British).
- 1st Indian to enter the British House of Common - Dadabhai Naoroji ( At - Finsbury, Of- Liberal Party
- Indian Council Act, 1909 :
- Secretary of State - Lord Morley
- Viceroy - Lord Minto
- This act is also known as Morley-Minto reforms.
- It provided ( for the First time) the association of Indians with the executive councils of Viceroys and Governors.
- Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the 1st Indian to join the Viceroy's executive council. He was appointed as a Law member.
- It also provided for separate representation of Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo Indians, Europeans, Chamber of Commerce and Universities.
- This act provided for the first the separate representation of Muslim Community and thus legalized the communalism. ( i.e. Muslim members should only be elected by Muslim voters )
- Lord Minto - Father of Communal Electorate
- Government of India Act, 1919 :
- New Office of High Commissioner for India was established in London.
- This act is also known as Montagu- Chelmsford reforms.
- Dyarchy or Dual government was introduced fot he administration of the province. Dyarchy- the some powers were given to the provinces to handle the few subjects while other subjects were to handled by the British.
- The subjects were :
- Reserved Subjects ( to be handled by the British ) -Police, Jail, Justice, Finance and Irrigation
- Transferred Subjects ( to be handled by the Provinces ) - Education, Agriculture and Local self government.
- This act provided Indian women voting rights.
- Bicameral legislature was formed
- Upper House - Council of State
- Lower House - Legislative Assembly
- Central Public Service Commission was set up for recruiting civil servants in 1926.
- Rowlatt Act was passed during the same year. Rowlatt Act - It gave powers to the police to arrest any person without any reason. It was also called as Black law by Gandhiji.
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