A Historical Glance Indian Constitution

A Historical Glance Indian Constitution 

Part 1

1773-1785:

Governor General:Warren Hastings

Ditrict Diwani Adalats     (Civil Disputes)

District Fauzdari Adalats  (Criminal Disputes)

Sadar Nizamat Adalat       (Murishabad)

• Headed by Deputy Nizam(Indian Muslim)
• Approval of capital punishment & acquisition of property.

1773-Regulating Act

• To control and regulate affairs of EIC in India 
• Recognized political & admin functions of EIC.
• Laid on Central Administration.

• Executive council =4 members
• 1^st Governor General of Bengal =Warren Hasting
• Governor of Bombay & Madras=subordinate.

1774

• Rohilla war between Shiraj ud daula (Nawab of Awad)& Rohillas(Nawab got support from Warren Hasting )
• Establishment of Supreme Court –Culcutta(1774)
• 1 Cheif Justice & 3 other judges
• Prohibited-servants of company –private trade or accepting bribes.

1775-82

• 1^st Maratha War and Treaty of Salbai(1782)/Anglo Maratha war
• Treaty of Surat :6 march 1775

1780-84:2^nd Mysore War/Anglo Mysore War

• Sir Eryecorte vs Hyder Ali,Tipu
• 1782-Hyder died
• 1784-Tipu concluded war by’Treaty of Manglore’
• Strained relation with Chait Singh, the Maharaja of Benaras, which led to Hastings'subsequent impeachment in England.
• 1784=foundation of ‘Asiatic society of Bengal’.

1781- Act 

• Under this act powers of jurisdiction between governor-general in-council & Supreme Court at Culcutta,were clearly divided.

1784-Pitt’s India Act

• Rectify defects of 1773 Regulating Act.
• Amending act of 1781-Act of Settlement
• Distinguished commercial & political functions.
• Court of Directors-commercial functions.
• New body-Board of control (political affairs)
• Therefore system of Double Government.

Significance of act

• Company territories="British possessions in India”
• Supreme control control over company affairs & administration in India.

Part 2

1786-1793:Lord Cornwallis

Appointed in February 1786 to serve as both Commander-in-Chief of British India and Governor of the Presidency of Fort William, also known as the Bengal Presidency.

• Bring existence & organise civil service
• Permanent land settlement in Bengal
• Introduction of zamindar/landlord system

1790-92:3^rd Mysore war

1792: Treaty of Seringapatanam

Charter act of 1786

Allowed to override councils decision.

Charter act of 1793

• Home government members were to be paid out of  Indian revenues.  
• To renew the charter of East India Company. 
• The Company’s commercial privi­leges were extended for a further period of twenty years.
•  Lord Cornwallis was given special power at the time of his appointment, to override his Council but it was not extended to all Governors or Governors-General by the Charter of 1793.

1793 :Cornwallis Code:

Incorporating several judicial reforms & separation of revenue administration &  civil jurisdiction.

Administrative reforms

• The servants of the company were corrupt, incompetent and irresponsible persons. Therefore Cornwallis decided to raise the salaries of the servants of the company,since low salaries of the company’s servants encouraged them to indulge in various kinds of private trade to augment their income.
• The employees of the company were prohibited to carry on private trade.
• Sought to reserve all higher posts for the Europeans(since low opinion about the character, ability and integrity of the Indian people.
• Introduced  reforms in Police department.
• The districts were divided into small thanas and an Inspector was appointed in each thana.
• Superintendent of police (superior officer )was appointed in each district.
• Raised the salaries of all police officers.
• Separated the judiciary from executive as a result equal justice could be dispensed to all the people.

Judicial Reforms:

• Number of revenue districts was reduced from 35 to 23 in the Presidency of Bengal.
• The collector was the head of the district.
• 1787 : District courts were presided over by the collector.
• The collectors were vested with magisterial powers and empowered to administer criminal justice.
• 1790-92 :further changes were made in the administration of criminal justice.
• Abolished the Faujdari Adalats of the districts
• Four circuit courts were established ( Dacca, Patna, Calcutta and Murshidabad).
• Circuit courts were presided over by two covenanted servants of the company who decided the cases with the help of Qazis and Muftis.
•  The Sadar Nizamat Adalat :shifted from Murshidabad to Calcutta.
• The Muhammadan Judge of this Adalat was removed and in his place the Governor General and Council presided over the Sadar Nizamat Adalat.

• Separation of powers was the basis of the new reforms.
• The collector was deprived of all his judicial and magisterial powers.
• The judges tried all civil cases in the districts.
• The collector was required to look after the administration and to realise the revenue of the district.
• Established Civil and criminal courts of Lower grade Under the subordination of the District Judge
• The Munsif and Sadar Amin tried the minor cases of the people.
• Against the decisions of the Lower Courts Appeals could be made to district court.

Commercial Reforms:

• Establishment of Board of Trade at Calcutta, the company had procured goods through European and Indian contractors.
• Stopped the practice of procuring supplies through contracts ,since contractors often supplied goods at high prices and of low quality.
• Started the practice of procuring supplies through Commercial Residents and agents.
• Reduced the members of the Board of Trade from eleven to five and placed it under the control of the Calcutta Council.