Pitts India Act of 1784
Pitts India Act of 1784
Section titled “Pitts India Act of 1784”2021-07-05 09:33
![[Pitts India Act of 1784 2022-09-09 15.12.46.excalidraw |700]]
- passed to rectify defects of 1773 Act.
Features of Pitt’s India Act of 1784
Section titled “Features of Pitt’s India Act of 1784”- Distinguished ==between commercial and political== functions
- Court of Directors to manage commercial affairs
- New body called Board of Control of 6 mem to manage the political affairs include secy of state, chancellor, exchequer and 4 privy councillors -> this estd a type of double government
- Board of Control to supervise and direct all operations of the civil, military government and revenues
- ==first time called territories of the company as ‘British Possessions in India’== and British gov was given supreme control over Company’s affairs and administration
- Order of BoC binding on CoD
- CoD retain commerce and patronage
- ==A type of a govt placed under GG + council of 3== all subordinate to CoD and BoC
- Clear hierarchy of command and more direct parliamentary control
- Coy territorial possession not touched
Defects
Section titled “Defects”- 2 masters BoC, CoD -> meant that GG could play them against each other
Act of 1786
Section titled “Act of 1786”- Combined GG + Commander in Chief, Warren Hastings became 1st
- could override the decision of his executive council.
Charter Act of 1793
Section titled “Charter Act of 1793”- presided by William Wilberforce
- Renewed company’s commercial privileges for next 20 years
- GG got elaborate powers, Go Bombay and Go Madras more decisively under its control
- EIC was to pay 5 lakh pounds annually to the gov
- Royal approval mandated for appointment of GG, Governors and Commander in Chief
- Senior official debarred from leaving India without permission would be treated as resignation
- Company could give licences to individuals to employees for trade in India was known as ‘Privilege’ and ‘Country trade’
- Revenue administration was separated from judiciary
- Home government ==members to be paid out of Indian revenues.==
- Code of all regulations (enacted for internal govt) applied to all rights, persons and property
- Translate all laws -> intro concept of civil law
Charter Act of 1813 Features
Section titled “Charter Act of 1813 Features”- Ended the Monopoly of EIC except in China and Tea trade in India
- Christian Missionaries got permission to go to India for moral and religious improvements with a license
- regulated the territorial revenues and commercial profits by keeping separate accounts for them
- Company debt was to be reduce and divident fixed at 10.5% pa
- Company was to ==invest 1 lakh every year for education of the Indians==
- Empowered local government to put taxes on person under jurisdiction of Supreme Court
- Influenced by free traders, Benthamite reformists, Evangelicals
- Charles Grant presided