Historical Background: Company Rule ( (1773 – 1858)

Acts	Features
Regulating Act of 1773	Act as the bedrock of centralised administration in India. It designated the Governor of Bengal as the ‘Governor General of Bengal’ and Lord Warren Hastings was the first such Governor. Created an Executive Council of four members to assist the Governor General of Bengal. The governors of Bombay and Madras presidencies were subordinate to the governor-general of Bengal. Establishment of a Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774) comprising one chief justice and three other judges. It prohibited the servants of the Company from engaging in any private trade. It created the Court of Directors of the company to report to the British Government regarding the Company’s revenue, and civil and military affairs in India.
Act of Settlement 1781	It exempted the Governor-General and the Council from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court for the acts done by them. Excluded the revenue matters from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Supreme Court to administer the personal laws of the defendant and extended jurisdiction to all subjects of Bengal province.. It empowered the Governor-General-in council to frame regulations for the Provincial Courts and Councils
Pitt’s India Act of 1784	Introduced a system of Double Government Court of Directors to manage the commercial affairs Board of Control to manage the political affairs Board of Control to supervise and direct all operations of the civil and military government or revenues of the British possessions in India.
Charter Act of 1793	It gave the Governor-General more powers and control over the governments of the subordinate Presidencies of Bombay and Madras. It extended the trade monopoly of the Company in India for another period of twenty years. It provided that the Commander-in-Chief was not to be a member of the Governor-General’s council The members of the Board of Control and their staff were to be paid out of the Indian revenues.
Charter Act of 1813	It abolished the trade monopoly of the company in India except trade in tea and trade with China. It asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over the Company’s territories in India. It allowed the Christian missionaries to come to India. Allocated rupees 1 lakh for Indian education. It authorised the Local Governments in India to impose taxes on persons.
Charter Act of 1833	It made the Governor-General of Bengal as the Governor General of India and vested in him all civil and military powers and Lord William Bentick was the first Governor-General of India. It deprived the Governor of Bombay and Madras of their legislative powers The laws made under the previous acts were called Regulations, while laws made under this act were called Acts. It ended the activities of the East India Company as a commercial body, which became a purely administrative body. Introduced the concept of open competition for Indian Civil Service.
Charter Act of 1853	It separated the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General’s council. It provided for the addition of six new members called legislative councillors to the council. It introduced an open competition system of selection and recruitment of civil servants which was open for Indians also. It introduced, for the first time, local representation in the Indian (Central) Legislative Council .