History (Modern India History :- Government Of India Act, Indian Councils Act, Lord Lytton)

Modern India History :- Government Of India Act, Indian Councils Act, Lord Lytton

Government of India Act of 1858

 *Indian administration was transferred to British crown instead of East India company

 *general was titled Viceroy of India, Hence Lord Canning got the unique opportunity to be the Gov. general as well as Viceroy of India

 *The viceroy was to be assisted by an executive council whose members were to act as the heads of various departments, as well as viceroy’s official advisors

 *In England, the Court of Directors and Board of Control were abolished & replaced by Secretary of State for India and India Council.

 *The Secretary of State would be a member of the British cabinet. Sir Charles Wood was made the first Secretary of State for India.

 *India Council consisting of 15 members would assist him.

 *All initiatives and final decisions rested with the secretary and the council was only advisory in nature.

 *Thus the dual system introduced by Pitt’s India Act of 1784 came to an end

Queens Victoria’s proclamation → Magna Carta of Indian people

 *Lord Canning proclaimed the new government at Allahabad in Nov 1858 in accordance with the Queens Victoria’s proclamation viz.

 - Disclaimed any further expansion of territory, Promised religious tolerance

 - Endorsed the treaty made by the Company with Indian prince and promised to respect their rights, dignity and honour

 - Pledged equal treatment of all her subjects

 - Equal and impartial protection of law

Indian Councils Act of 1861

 *A fifth member, who was to be a jurist was added to viceroy’s executive council

 *Governor-General’s Executive Council was enlarged into a Central Legislative Council

 *Six to twelve “additional members” were to be nominated by the Governor-General.

 *Not less than half of these members were to be non-officials/Indian members

 *Thus a provision was made for the inclusion of Indians in the Legislative Council

 *Functions of these members were strictly limited to making legislation (subjected to viceroys approval)

 *They were forbidden from interfering in the matters of the Executive Council.

 *They did not possess powers of administration and finance.

 *Legislative Councils were also established in the provinces.

 *The number of additional members in the provinces was fixed between four to eight

 *By means of this act people of India came to be involved in the law making process

Lord Mayo 1869-1872

 *For the first time in my Indian history census was held in 1871

 *Opening of the Rajkot College in Kathiawar and the Mayo College at Ajmer for political training of Indian princes.

 *Establishment of Statistical Survey of India.

 *Establishment of Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

 *Introduction of state railways.

 *In 1872, a convict Sher Ali stabbed him to death at Port Blair.

Lord Northbrook (1872-1876)

 *Deposition of Gaekwad in 1874

 *The famous Kuka movement

 *Visit of Prince of Wales

 *Abolition of income tax

 *Famine in Bihar and Bengal in 1873-1874

Lord Lytton 1876 – 1880

 *Famine of 1876-78 had resulted from the failure of two monsoons

 *Outbreak of cholera and fever added to the misery of the suffering population.

 *Foundation of the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College was laid by Lord Lytton in 1877 at Aligarh

Royal Titles Act (1877)

 *Queen Victoria assuming the title of ‘Kaiser-i-Hind’ or Queen Empress of India at Delhi Darbar.

 *Delhi Darbar, also known as the Imperial Durbar, it was held three times at the height of the British Empire viz.

 - 1877 for Queen Victoria

 - 1903 for Edward 7 and Alexandra

 - 1911 for George 5 & Mary

First Famine Commission (1878-80)

 *1st Famine Commission (1878-80) was appointed under Sir Richard Strachey

 *It advocated including provision of funds for famine relief and construction work in annual budget.

Vernacular Press Act (1878)

 *Empowered magistrate to secure an undertaking from the editor, publisher and printer of a vernacular newspaper that nothing would be published against the English Government

 *If done so, Equipment of press would be seized, hence crushed Freedom of Indian press

Arms Act 1878

 *Prevented Indians to keep armaments without appropriate license

 *Europeans & Anglo Indians were exempted from these acts

Uniform salt tax

 *Introduced uniform salt tax throughout British India

 *Abolished many trade import duties which adversely affected Indian Industries & its economy.

Second Anglo Afghan War

 *Britishers emerged victorious

 *Famous for Treaty of Gandamak

 *Afghan policy of British resident at Kabul

 *This was aimed to thwart expansion by the Russian Empire into India