Charter Act of 1833

Saint Helena Act 1833

Government of India Act 1833

The Charter Act

The basic aim of the 1793 or the East
The east India company was in serve financial crisis and asked for loan of 1 million pound
Act of Settlement 1781 India Company Act
1793 was passed by
Allegations of corruption and nepotism were rampant against company officials.

There was a terrible famine in Bengal where a huge population perished. was to establish a new
Dual system of government.

Lack of law [lawlessness increased in bengal]

system of courts to the British Parliament
Reason Bankruptcy of EIC remove the grievances to renew the charter
nishscan tranquimesovemarHederAilsa against the Supreme of the East India
re

Court. Company.
Reasons that lead to
↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ 1
Regulating Act 1773

Regulating Act 1773 Act of settlement 1781 Pitts India Act 1784 Charter Act of 1793 Charter Act of 1813

Regulated East India It was the Pitts

Company's Indian territories India Act which The Charter Act of
distinguished 1813 passed by the
Banned employees from between the British Parliament
receiving gifts/bribes & from commercial and renewed the East India
private trade political functions Company’s charter for
of the Company. another 20 years
Governor of Bengal changed A Trade Morobol E1C=Echina
to Governor Act established
General of Bengal the system of
*

dual control of
Supreme Court to be India
established in Bengal

Administration by
Governor General &
Council with 4
members

Laid foundation to central

administration in India

Director
⑩3 count
of ⑱33
↑
Mompayeseen Commescial affair
Exc
commercialaffaire ->
Board
China EC
-
& Administration
w
Political

of Contool
↓ Lake Grant For Indians Education Lower Rank Post got arrible
to Ibians
 Chantel
start
Before we of 1833

⑪stain (2005
changes
Charters At Charter

-↓-> 10ss 1830

come into
Liberals Pole power
Conservative Pale
in Parliament
in Parliament
things (Liberal Partz)
↓
-> Introduce heral Policy
⑨

Free Market
*
Reform (against EIC Monopoly)
Franchise
*
Expanding
↳ by Act
Reform of 1832

I
1-

expanding Franchise Redistribute

Seat
in Parliament

CHouse of
Common)
*
hts
of
Ban

England-in Tupia
abolish in also
Slavery ·

Parliament
*
people
se in

of ElC compart
Suggest-> Abolition -
-

and crown should take over the administration

India
of
# But Majority Notsupported suggestion.
this

Codification of
* Law
 ▪

Background of Act:

◦ The Charter Act, 1833 came under the backdrop of great changes that had
taken place in Great Britain because of the Industrial Revolution.
◦ Laissez Faire was accepted as the principle of the government's attitude
/
-

c
Free Market towards industrial enterprise.
*
◦ The liberal movement resulted in the Reform Act of 1832.
Interference
-hor
◦ In this atmosphere of liberalism and reforms the Parliament was called upon
to renew the Charter in 1833.

About the Act:

◦ It is also known as the Saint Helena Act 1833 or Government of India Act
1833.
• Control of the island of Saint Helena was transferred from the East India Company
to the Crown.
◦ It was passed by the British Parliament to renew the Charter Act, 1813 of the
East India Company.
• This act renewed the charter of the EIC for 20 years.
◦ The East India Company was deprived of its commercial privileges.

• The Company's monopoly over the trade except for tea and trade with China was
ended as a result of Laissez-Faire and the continental system of Napoleon
Bonaparte.

Provisions of The Charter Act of 1833

Provisions relating to change in the Home Government

1833 Court of Director
fore
(c
El /mezze
) (1) The Company was allowed to retain its territorial possessions and revenues
for another twenty years to be administered in "trust for His Majesty, his heirs
and successors"
↳ political (B0C) (2) The Company's monopoly of China trade and tea trade was terminated.
Board
Thus the Company was completely deprived of its commercial privileges and
1833 of was to wind up its business. Henceforth, it was only to function as a
#tes Control governmental power in India and was to run the Indian administration as an
agent of the British Crown.

BOD (3) The system of licencing introduced for the entry of European subjects in india
/ under the Act of 1813 was abolished by the Act of 1833. All the restrictions on
EIC - Political the entry of Europeans and British subjects were withdrawn and they could
&BOC now have free entry to India. The British subjects could now also freely acquire,
*
hold or dispose of property in India and were to enjoy the freedom of residence,
Administrative Body. trade or travel in India.
- -
④
 Provisions relating to change in the Government of India

Office of Governor General:

◦ The Governor-General of Bengal became the Governor-General of India with

exclusive legislative powers.
The Governor-General had legislative powers over entire British India.
• The presidencies of Bombay and Madras were deprived of their legislative powers.
◦ The Governor-General of India was given civil and military powers.

• The Government of India was created for the first time having the authority
Governor General over the entire territorial area possessed by the British in India.
• The First Governor-General of India was Lord William Bentick.

Governor General Council:

◦ The members of the Governor General’s council were reduced by the Pitt’s
India act 1784 was again increased to 4.
• The fourth member had very limited powers, he was not entitled to act as a
member of the council except for legislative purposes.
• The Governor General Council had the authority to amend, repeal or alter any
Governor General Council law in the entire length and breadth of India for any British, Foreigner or Indian.

All India
Legislature

Governor General of India 3 Member Council Law Member Law Making

Lord Macaulay

islative
Lord William Bentinck

teal

The All India Legislature so established consisted of the Governor

General-in-Council having a fourth member called the Law Member.

Law Member was to assist the Council in making laws for the entire
British India.

The establishment of an All India Legislature was a great step towards the
process of centralisation and improvement in the quality of laws enacted
for India. Codification of Law
 Provisions Relating to the Government of Presidencies

• The Governors of Bombay and Madras lost their legislative

powers.
• The Governor-General had legislative powers over entire British
India

one preside
bus

prepenn
--
↓
Provincial Legislature Pales
b Legislative
X
Abolitison

Presidency · Governor-General
Council

Taicial,
For
Can Make Law
Legislative British India
Entire

centralised
#
in Governal General
As stated earlier, that charter act of 1833 primarily aimed at the centralisation
in Correct. of civil military government of entire British possessions in India into the
Governor General in Council at Calcutta

The act of 1833, brought the government of presidency, in complete

executive, financial legislative, sub ordinate to the Governor General in
Council at Calcutta
 Other Provisions of the Act

Indian Law Commission

• The act mandated that any law made in India was to be put before the
British Parliament and was to be called ‘Act’.
• As per the act, an Indian Law Commission was established.
• The first Law Commission had Lord Macaulay as its chairman.
• It sought to codify all Indian law.

Ended Slavery:
◦ The slavery existed in India at that time, the act provided for the
mitigation of of slavery in India.
• The slavery was abolished by British Parliament in Britain and all its
possessions in 1833

Attempt to Open Civil Services:

◦ The act attempted to introduce a system of open competition for selection
in Civil Services.
• It stated that Indians should not be debarred from holding any place,
office and employment under the company.
• It was nullified after opposition from the Court of Directors.
• The concept of a merit based modern Civil Service in India was
introduced on the recommendations of Lord Macaulay's Report in 1854.

Tilt towards Christianity

• Since the number of British residents in the country was increasing, the act
allowed for having three Bishops in India.
• It also sought to regulate the establishment of Christian institutions in India.

Split in Bengal Presidency

• The act provided for the Presidency of Bengal to be divided into the
Presidencies of Agra and Fort William.
 Saint Helena Act 1833

Under the provisions of the 1833 India Act, control of

Saint Helena passed from the East India Company to the
British Crown, and it became a crown colony.

Significance of the Charter Act 1833

• It was the final step in the centralisation of India’s administration.

• The ending of the East India Company’s commercial activities and
making it into the British Crown’s trustee in administering India.
• Codification of laws under Macaulay.
• Provision for Indians in government service.

Defect / Drawback of the Charter Act 1833

All the powers were snatched from the Governor-General of Madras and
Bombay and given to the Governor-General of Bengal. This act created an
overburdening of workload on him.
• This burden of over-centralization was often refraining the government in
council that they couldn't take time for resolving the public matters.
• The government in the council was solely accountable for the entire British
India territory, hence most of the time, they could not manage the requirements
of the local governments as there were no representatives from their sides.
• This mismanagement lead to the gap between the presidencies, and they
started becoming callous concerning the laws made by the supreme council.
• The supreme leader - the Governor-General of Bengal wasn't able to exercise
effective administration over the distant territories due to a lack of leaders.
• However, this act of vesting all the powers to one hand increased the chances
of autocracy.