Study Guide · Chapter 31
Table 1: Chronological Summary of All Major Acts
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Table 1: Chronological Summary of All Major Acts
| Year | Act | Key Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| 1773 | Regulating Act | Governor of Bengal → Governor-General of Bengal (Warren Hastings); Supreme Court at Calcutta |
| 1781 | Amending Act | Removed defects of Regulating Act |
| 1784 | Pitt's India Act | Board of Control created; "Double Government" |
| 1793 | Charter Act | Renewed Company's charter for 20 years |
| 1813 | Charter Act | Ended EIC's trade monopoly (except tea & China) |
| 1829 | Sati Regulation | Sati declared illegal (Bentinck, Ram Mohan Roy) |
| 1833 | Charter Act (GoI Act 1833) | Governor-General of Bengal → Governor-General of India (Bentinck); EIC trade monopoly ended completely |
| 1853 | Charter Act | Legislative & executive functions separated; open competition for civil services |
| 1856 | Widow Remarriage Act | Legalized Hindu widow remarriage |
| 1858 | Government of India Act | Crown took over from EIC; Secretary of State created; Viceroy title created (Canning) |
| 1861 | Indian Councils Act | Portfolio system; Indians nominated to Legislative Council |
| 1878 | Vernacular Press Act | Curbed vernacular press (Lytton) |
| 1878 | Arms Act | Restricted Indians from possessing arms |
| 1883 | Ilbert Bill | Sought equal treatment of Indian judges (Ripon) |
| 1891 | Age of Consent Act | Age of consent raised to 12 years |
| 1892 | Indian Councils Act | Indirect elective principle; budget discussion |
| 1909 | Indian Councils Act (Morley-Minto) | Separate electorates for Muslims; Sinha 1st Indian in Exec. Council |
| 1919 | Rowlatt Act | Detention without trial; led to Jallianwala Bagh |
| 1919 | Government of India Act (Montford) | Dyarchy in provinces; bicameral centre; Sikh separate electorate |
| 1927 | Simon Commission appointed | All-British; boycotted |
| 1932 | Communal Award | Separate electorate for Depressed Classes |
| 1932 | Poona Pact | Joint electorate + reserved seats (Gandhi-Ambedkar) |
| 1935 | Government of India Act | Provincial autonomy; dyarchy at centre (unimplemented); Federal Court; basis of Constitution |
| 1940 | August Offer | Dominion Status promised (vague) |
| 1942 | Cripps Mission | Dominion Status + Constituent Assembly + non-accession clause |
| 1945 | Wavell Plan/Shimla Conference | Reconstituted Exec. Council; failed over League's sole-spokesman claim |
| 1946 | Cabinet Mission Plan | Rejected full Pakistan; grouping scheme; led to Constituent Assembly |
| 1947 | Mountbatten Plan (June 3 Plan) | Accepted Partition |
| 1947 | Indian Independence Act | India & Pakistan independent (15 & 14 Aug 1947) |
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