Pitt's India Act

The East India Company Act, 1784[1]
(Pitt's India Act)

Parliament of Great Britain
Long title An Act for the better Regulation and Management of the Affairs of the East India Company and of the British Possessions in India, and for establishing a Court of Judicature for the more speedy and effectual Trial of Persons accused of Offences committed in the East Indies
Statute book chapter 24 Geo. 3 Sess. 2 c. 25
Other legislation
Repealing legislation Government of India (Amendment) Act 1916
Status: Repealed

The East India Company Act 1784, also known as Pitt's India Act, was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain intended to address the shortcomings of the Regulating Act of 1773 by bringing the East India Company's rule in India under the control of the British Government. Pitt's India Act provided for the appointment of a Board of Control, and provided for a joint government of British India by both the Company and the Crown.

Contents

Background

By 1773 the East India Company was in dire financial straits and asked for assistance from the British Government. Faced with corruption and nepotism amongst the company officials in India, the British Government enacted the Regulating Act in 1773 to control the activities of the East India Company. The Act set up a system whereby it supervised (regulated) the work of the East India Company but did not take power for itself. The Act had proven to be a failure within a few years and the British government decided to take a more active role in the affairs of the company.

Provisions of the 1784 Act

A governing board was constituted with six members, two of whom were members of the British Cabinet and the remaining from the Privy Council. The board also had a president, who soon effectively became the minister for the affairs of the East India Company. The board had power and control over all of the acts and operations relating to the civil, military and revenues of the company.

The governing council of the company was reduced to three members, and the governor-general was authorised to veto the majority decisions. The governors of Bombay and Madras were also deprived of their independence. Calcutta was given greater powers in matters of war, revenue and diplomacy; thus becoming in effect the administrative capital of company possessions in India.

By a supplementary Act passed in 1786 Lord Cornwallis was appointed as the second governor-general, and he then became the effective ruler of British India under the authority of the Board of Control and the Court of Directors. The constitution set up by Pitt's India Act did not undergo any major changes until the end of the company's rule in India in 1858.

References

  1. ^ Short title as conferred by the Short Titles Act 1896, s. 1; the modern convention for the citation of short titles omits the comma after the word "Act".

Further reading

External links