Government of India Act 1858

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The Government of India Act 1858 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (21 & 22 Vict. c. 106) passed on August 2, 1858. Its provisions called for the liquidation of the British East India Company (who had up to this point been ruling India under the auspices of Parliament) and the transference of its functions to the British Crown. Lord Palmerston, then-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, introduced a bill for the transfer of control of the Government of India from the East India Company to the Crown, referring to the grave defects in the existing system of the government of India.

Main provisions of the bill: (a) The Act declared that the Company's territories in India shall vest in Her Majesty, and the Company shall cease to exercise its power and control over all these territories. India will be governed in the name of the Queen.

(b) The Queen's Principal Secretary of State shall have all such powers and perform all such duties as were exercised by the court of Directors. A council of fifteen members were apponted to assist the Secretary of State for India. The council became an advisory body in India affairs. For all the communications between England and India, the Secretary of State became the real channel.

(c) The Secretary of State for India was empowered to send some secret despatches to India directly without consulting the Council. He was also authorised to constitute special committees of his Council.

(d) The Crown was empowered to appoint the Governor General of India and the Governors of the Presidencies.

(e) It also provided for the creation of the Indian Civil Service under the control of the Secretary of State.

(f) All the property of the East India Company was transferred to the Crown. All treaties, contracts, etc. made by the Company remained binding on the Crown.

Thus, the passing of the Government of India Act 1858 ushered in a new period of Indian history – that of direct rule by the British Crown, known as the British Raj. This era would last until independence was granted to India and Pakistan in August 1947.

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