Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth for UPSC CSE - Historical background of Indian Constitution

Summary

This lecture by Shashank Thyagi delves into the historical underpinnings of the Indian Constitution, tracing the evolution of British administration in India from the East India Company's rule to the pivotal Government of India Act 1858. It highlights key legislations, including the Regulating Act 1773, Pitt's India Act 1784, and various Charter Acts, leading to the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India and the shift from company to crown rule. The talk also covers the significant reforms and communal electorates introduced by the Indian Council Acts and the Government of India Act 1935, culminating in India's independence and the formation of its sovereign democratic republic.

Takeaways

• 📜 The script discusses the historical underpinnings of the Indian Constitution, starting with the British East India Company's rule and the subsequent British administration through acts like the Regulating Act 1773.
• 🏛 The Supreme Court was established in Kolkata during the British rule, with initial jurisdictional issues leading to amendments and the creation of the Governor-General of Bengal's council.
• 🇬🇧 Pitt's India Act 1784 led to the division of the English East India Company's functions into political, handled by the Board of Control, and commercial, overseen by the Court of Directors.
• 📜 The Charter Act 1813 ended the East India Company's monopoly on Indian trade, except for trade with China, and introduced modern education in India funded by the British government.
• 📚 The Charter Act 1833 marked the centralization of British power in India, with the Governor-General of Bengal becoming the Governor-General of India, and the beginning of the administrative shift from a private company to the British Crown.
• 🏛️ The Indian Councils Act 1861 introduced the portfolio system and decentralization in the administration, and was the first step towards involving Indians in the legislative process.
• 📉 The Indian Councils Act 1892 expanded the legislative councils, allowing for more Indian involvement but maintaining an official majority to control decision-making.
• 📊 The Government of India Act 1909, known as the Morley-Minto Reforms, introduced communal electorates and direct elections to the legislative councils, but was criticized for dividing Indian society.
• 🏛️ The Government of India Act 1919, or the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, established diarchy, dividing powers between the central and provincial governments, and introduced bicameral legislature.
• 🏦 The Government of India Act 1935 proposed an All India Federation and established the Reserve Bank of India, and continued many of its provisions in the new Indian Constitution after independence.
• 🌏 The India Independence Act 1947 declared India an independent and sovereign state, ending British rule and establishing a Governor-General for the new dominion of India.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the Regulating Act 1773?

The Regulating Act 1773 was passed by the British Parliament to regulate the administration of the British East India Company in India, especially after mismanagement during the Company's rule led to the British government's intervention.

What was the significance of the Supreme Court established in Kolkata?

The Supreme Court in Kolkata was a crucial institution established under the Regulating Act 1773. It was significant because it raised concerns among the English East India Company, as it meant that British administration wanted to control their affairs, particularly in revenue matters.

What was the Pitt's India Act 1784 and its main objective?

Pitt's India Act 1784 was legislation passed in Britain that led to the categorization of the functions of the English East India Company into two parts: the Board of Control, responsible for political functions, and the Court of Directors, handling commercial affairs. The Act aimed to assert British government authority over the Company.

What was the impact of the Charter Act 1813 on the English East India Company's trade monopoly?

The Charter Act 1813 terminated the English East India Company's monopoly on Indian trade, except for the trade with China, allowing other British companies to engage in trade within the Indian peninsula.

Why did the British government earmark funds for modernized education in India under the Charter Act 1813?

The British government earmarked one lakh rupees annually for modernized education in India to produce individuals with specific skills to run the administration and to interpret and expose Indian literature to the world in English and other languages.

What was the final step of centralization according to the Charter Act 1833?

The Charter Act 1833 marked the final step of centralization by giving the Governor-General of Bengal the status of Governor-General of India, making the seat in Bengal representative of British interests across the Indian peninsula.

What was the significance of the Indian Councils Act 1861 in terms of Indian involvement in governance?

The Indian Councils Act 1861 was significant as it initiated the process of involving Indians in governance by appointing three Indians to the central legislative council and introducing the portfolio system, which allocated individual responsibilities within the executive council.

How did the Indian Councils Act 1892 expand the involvement of Indians in legislative councils?

The Indian Councils Act 1892 expanded the involvement of Indians by increasing the number of non-official members in both central and provincial legislative councils, although it maintained an official majority to ensure control remained with the British administration.

What was the main criticism of the separate electorate introduced by the Indian Councils Act 1909?

The main criticism of the separate electorate introduced by the Indian Councils Act 1909 was that it divided Indian society along communal lines, potentially weakening the national movement and leading to a focus on community-based interests rather than a unified national interest.

What was the Government of India Act 1919's approach to the division of powers between the center and the provinces?

The Government of India Act 1919 introduced a system of diarchy, dividing powers between the center and the provinces. It categorized subjects into central and provincial subjects, with some subjects reserved for the governor's decision without legislative council input and others transferred to the legislative council for discussion and law-making.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Historical Underpinnings of the Indian Constitution

The paragraph discusses the historical context of the Indian Constitution, starting with the Company Rule and the mismanagement that led to the British government's intervention through the Regulating Act of 1773. It highlights the struggle between the English East India Company and the British administration, the establishment of the Supreme Court in Kolkata, and the subsequent Pitt's India Act 1784, which separated the political and commercial functions of the company. The speaker also touches on the Charter Act of 1813, which ended the company's monopoly on Indian trade, except for China, and the influence of Napoleon's Continental System on this decision.

05:01

📘 Charter Act 1813 and the Introduction of Modern Education in India

This section delves into the specifics of the Charter Act of 1813, emphasizing its role in ending the East India Company's trade monopoly, with exceptions for China and trade conducted by the company itself. It also discusses the British government's decision to allow other British companies to trade in India due to losses incurred from Napoleon's Continental System. The paragraph further highlights the British government's initiative to allocate funds for modern education in India, aiming to cultivate a class of Indians skilled enough to administer the country and interpret Indian literature for the world. The debate between vernacular and anglicist mediums of education is also mentioned.

10:03

🏛 Centralization of Power and the Charter Act of 1833

The speaker describes the centralization of power in British India, culminating in the Charter Act of 1833, which gave the Governor-General of Bengal the status of Governor-General of India. This act marked the final step in centralizing British control over the Indian subcontinent. It also mentions the shift in the role of the East India Company from commercial interests to administrative functions, and the introduction of the idea of an open examination for the civil services, which was initially opposed by the company and the Court of Directors.

15:06

📜 The Decline of the East India Company and the 1853 Charter Act

This paragraph discusses the decline of the East India Company's rule and the legislative changes brought about by the Charter Act of 1853. It established a separate legislative body, distinct from the executive functions of the Governor-General's council, with six members, four of whom were appointed by the provincial governments of Madras, Bombay, Bengal, and Agra. The act also introduced a system of open competition for civil servants, marking the beginning of the civil service examinations that candidates prepare for today.

20:06

🏛 The End of Company Rule and the Beginning of Crown Rule in India

Following the 1857 Revolt, the British government took direct control of India, ending the rule of the East India Company. The Government of India Act 1858 established the framework for this new era, with the Queen's Proclamation promising a responsible and good government. The act also assured Indian princely states that there would be no further territorial expansion by the British. The Secretary of State for India was created, supported by a 15-member council in London, with expenses funded by India, a point of contention among Indian nationalists.

25:07

📜 The Indian Councils Act 1861 and the Start of Decentralization

The Indian Councils Act 1861 marked the beginning of decentralization in British India, introducing the concept of involving Indians in the legislative process. The act allowed for the appointment of three Indian members to the legislative council, although they were officially nominated. It also introduced the portfolio system, which allocated individual responsibilities within the executive council, a precursor to the modern council of ministers system. Additionally, the act initiated decentralization by devolving power to the provincial level, a trend that continued until the Government of India Act 1935.

30:09

📘 The Indian Councils Act 1892 and the Expansion of Legislative Councils

The Indian Councils Act 1892 expanded the number of non-official members in both central and provincial legislative councils, with the aim of increasing Indian involvement in the law-making process. However, it was crucial to maintain an official majority to ensure British control over decision-making. The act also gave legislative councils the power to question the executive and discuss budgets, marking an important step in the development of democratic practices in India.

35:10

📜 The Morley-Minto Reforms and the Introduction of Communal Electorates

The Morley-Minto Reforms, introduced by the Indian Councils Act 1909, were significant for several reasons. They increased the number of members in the legislative council, introduced direct elections, and most controversially, established communal electorates. This meant that separate electorates were created for different religious communities, a move that was seen by many as divisive and detrimental to national unity. The reforms also led to the first Indian, Satyendra Prasad Sinha, becoming a law member of the Viceroy's executive council.

40:12

🏛 The Montague-Chelmsford Reforms and the Introduction of Diarchy

The Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, enacted through the Government of India Act 1919, were pivotal in the evolution of India's administrative structure. They introduced a system of diarchy, dividing legislative subjects into central and provincial spheres, and further into reserved and transferred lists. This act also established a bicameral legislature, similar to the current Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and required that three of the six members in the Viceroy's executive council be Indians. Additionally, it led to the establishment of the Central Public Service Commission and was the first act to be reviewed by the Simon Commission, which recommended abolition of diarchy and other significant changes.

45:13

📘 The Simon Commission and the Public Outcry

The Simon Commission, appointed to review the implementation of the 1919 Act, was met with significant opposition due to its lack of Indian representation and its recommendations, which included the abolition of diarchy and the continuation of communal representation. The commission's visit to India coincided with the assassination of Lal Lajpat Rai, a prominent leader, further fueling resentment. The recommendations of the Simon Commission would later be incorporated into the Government of India Act 1935.

50:15

📜 The Round Table Conferences and the Struggle for Indian Self-Rule

The Round Table Conferences were a series of meetings in London where British officials, Indian leaders, and representatives from princely states discussed the future of British India. The conferences led to the MacDonald Award, which proposed the continuation of separate electorates for various communities, a move resisted by Indian leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. The Gandhi-Ambedkar Pact resulted from Gandhi's fast unto death, leading to the agreement on reserved seats for depressed classes instead of separate electorates. The conferences and subsequent events, such as the demand for a constitution by Indians, set the stage for further negotiations and the eventual independence of India.

55:16

🏛 The Government of India Act 1935 and the Prelude to Independence

The Government of India Act 1935 built upon previous reforms, establishing an all-India federation and further defining the division of powers between the central government and the provinces. It introduced diarchy at the central level, abolished diarchy at the provincial level, and created a bicameral legislature. The act also led to the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India and continued the extension of communal representation. Despite these changes, the act was not fully implemented due to widespread opposition, and it served as a foundation for the new Indian constitution after independence.

📜 The India Independence Act and the Birth of a Sovereign Nation

The India Independence Act marked the legal end of British rule in India, establishing it as an independent and sovereign state. The act led to the dissolution of the position of Secretary of State for India and the title of Viceroy, replaced by a Governor-General appointed by the British monarch or the Dominion Cabinet. It also empowered the Constituent Assembly to draft the Constitution of India and functioned as the Parliament of the new dominion. The last Governor-General, Lord Mountbatten, marked the transition to independence, and the Constituent Assembly, initially formed in 1946, became the Parliament of the Indian dominion.

Keywords

💡Indian Polity

Indian Polity refers to the governance structure, political events, and the evolution of the administrative system in India. It is the main theme of the video, which discusses the historical underpinnings of the Indian Constitution and the various acts that shaped the political landscape of India during the British rule. The script delves into the specifics of these acts, such as the Regulating Act of 1773 and the Government of India Act of 1858, illustrating their impact on the formation of modern India's political framework.

💡East India Company

The East India Company was a British organization that, under various acts and amendments, managed the trade and governance in parts of India. The script mentions the company's monopoly over trade, its administrative role, and how acts like the Pitt's India Act of 1784 led to the establishment of a board of control to oversee its political functions. The company's influence waned with the Charter Act of 1813, which ended its monopoly over Indian trade, and eventually led to its dissolution post the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

💡Regulating Act 1773

The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first parliamentary law that regulated the affairs of the East India Company. It established the Supreme Court in Calcutta and aimed to bring the company's activities under British government control. The script discusses the act's significance in laying the groundwork for British administrative control over India, particularly in revenue matters and the establishment of the Governor-General of Bengal.

💡Pitt's India Act 1784

Pitt's India Act of 1784 was pivotal in reorganizing the administration of the East India Company by creating a Board of Control to oversee the company's political functions, distinguishing it from its commercial activities managed by the Court of Directors. The video script uses this act to illustrate the British government's increased involvement in Indian affairs and the beginning of a dual system of governance.

💡Charter Act 1813

The Charter Act of 1813 ended the East India Company's trade monopoly, allowing other British companies to trade with India. It also emphasized the need for modernized education in India, reflecting the British government's intent to cultivate an educated Indian workforce to support their administration. The script highlights this act as a significant shift in British policy towards India, from trade monopoly to promoting education and opening up trade to other British entities.

💡Government of India Act 1858

Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Government of India Act of 1858 transferred the administrative authority from the East India Company to the British Crown, marking the beginning of the British Raj. The script explains how this act established the position of the Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy, fundamentally changing the governance structure in India and centralizing power in the hands of the British Crown.

💡Indian Councils Act 1861

The Indian Councils Act of 1861 introduced the concept of decentralization by allowing for the appointment of Indian members to the legislative councils, albeit with limited powers. The script describes this act as an attempt to involve Indians in the legislative process, although it maintained the official majority, thus preserving British control over decision-making.

💡Diarchy

Diarchy refers to the division of powers between the central and provincial governments, as introduced by the Government of India Act of 1919. It created a dual system of governance where some subjects were reserved for the central government and others were transferred to the provinces. The script uses the term to explain the shift in the British administrative approach in India, allowing for a degree of provincial autonomy while retaining central control over key areas.

💡Montague-Chelmsford Reforms

The Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, also known as the Government of India Act of 1919, introduced significant changes to the governance of British India. The script mentions the act's introduction of a bicameral legislature, the expansion of provincial powers, and the establishment of the Central Public Service Commission. It was a step towards self-governance for India, although it still maintained British control over 'reserved' subjects.

💡Simon Commission

The Simon Commission, appointed in 1927 to review the working of the Government of India Act of 1919, was met with widespread opposition in India due to the absence of any Indian members in the commission. The script describes the Indian response to the commission as a sign of growing resentment towards British rule and the perceived lack of genuine representation for Indians in their own governance.

💡August Offer

The August Offer was a proposal made by the British government during World War II, promising dominion status to India in exchange for its full support during the war. The script mentions that the offer was rejected by Indian leaders, who sought immediate independence rather than the conditional promise of future autonomy.

Highlights

Introduction to the historical underpinnings of the Indian Constitution, starting with the Company Rule and the Regulating Act of 1773.

Explanation of the struggle between the English East India Company and British administration for control over Indian territories.

The establishment of the Supreme Court in Kolkata and its jurisdiction over British subjects and revenue matters.

Pitt's India Act 1784 and the creation of the Board of Control and Court of Directors to categorize the functions of the English East India Company.

Charter Act 1813 ended the East India Company's monopoly on Indian trade, except for China.

The Continental System by Napoleon and its impact on British trade interests, leading to the opening of Indian trade to other British companies.

Introduction of modern education in India under the Charter Act 1813, with an annual allocation of one lakh rupees by the British government.

Charter Act 1833 marked the final step in centralization, with the Governor-General of India becoming the representative of British interests across the Indian peninsula.

The Indian Councils Act 1861 introduced the portfolio system and the beginning of decentralization in the administration.

Indian Councils Act 1892 expanded the legislative councils and introduced the power of questioning the executive.

The Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909, infamous for introducing communal electorates and separate electorates for Muslims.

Government of India Act 1919 introduced the concept of diarchy, dividing legislative subjects into central and provincial subjects.

The Simon Commission of 1928 and the opposition it faced for having no Indian members and its recommendations for constitutional changes.

Round Table Conferences and the subsequent Ramsay MacDonald Award, which proposed separate electorates for depressed classes.

The Government of India Act 1935, which included provisions for an All India Federation, a Federal Court, and the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India.

The August Offer of 1940 and the Cripps' Mission of 1942, both attempts by the British to negotiate with Indian leaders for independence within certain conditions.

The India Independence Act 1947, which declared India an independent and sovereign state, and the formation of the Constituent Assembly to draft the Constitution of India.

Transcripts

hello everyone i hope this message finds

you fit and fine my name is shashank

kyagi and i welcome you all to study iq

in our previous session in contest

indian polity lakshmikan series we

discussed about historical underpinnings

in indian constitution it means it was a

start

so we covered

these three steps

we talked about company rule how it

started

and how mismanagement in company rule

led to british government engaging

in its administration through regulating

act 1773 which was passed in british

parliament right

so there was a you can say struggle

which was happening

is english eastern company did not

wanted this british administration to

put nose in their work

they were like

revenues

and when it comes to control this

british administration wants to control

us

right and one crucial institution which

was established was supreme court in

kolkata

as as i told you the story

wherein hastings raised the concern he

was not happy with regulating act

17-73 so that's why this amendment

came into being relaxations were given

to english austria company for example

i'm giving a short recap

so that the employees of english india

company it means british subjects there

were exempted

from this jurisdiction of supreme court

when it comes to the supreme court

revenue matters were exclusively

transferred to a governor general of

bengal

and appalachian direction of supreme

court was also

when it comes to revenue matters it was

also transferred to this governor

general council so we discussed all of

this in our previous session but still

english eastern company was not

cooperating with british empire and that

is why

to tell them who is the real boss pitts

india act 1784 came into being pits then

prime minister of britain

and it led to categorization of function

of

english issue company into two parts it

means board of control which was

responsible for political functions

it means this will be a separate body it

will be representing interest of british

government

british government okay and when i say

political it means the two aspects are

here civil and military affairs of the

company will be taken care of by board

of control when it comes to commercial

affairs commercial efforts were

maintained by court of directors so this

separation happened after pitts india

act to tell english is your company oh

we have our own board of control control

we are going to do that right now

continuing this journey now we have to

talk about charter act 1813 the name

charter represents the permission given

by english

permission given to english in your

company by british empire okay you can

continue your trade for 20 years on

these conditions

and that is why

after

every 20 year

you can see

english east india company was coming to

british empire

thereby british parliament was actually

passing these acts to tell on what

conditions affairs of english is a

company are going to be there with

respect to indian peninsula right

now coming to charter act 1813 look

companies monopoly or indian trade was

terminated that's a fact under chartered

1813

but there's an interesting insight here

those who are also interested in world

history i would like to ask you what was

happening in europe at this point of

time

i hope you must have heard about or read

about

continental

system

which was laid by napoleon

it was a blockade by napoleon which was

planned by napoleon to actually you can

say restrict the trade interests of

britain with other european nations

right so it means

the other companies of british other

companies of and you know working under

the british empire they were like we are

also a private company like english

social company

and it was your political matter with

napoleon and why we have to suffer and

if we are we are going to suffer then

how we are going to pay you the taxes

then british government was like he so

what should be done so they said why not

give give us access to indian peninsula

why only english senior companies given

access to indian peninsula

we should be allowed to have trade there

so then british government was like yeah

for its own betterment it is better to

allow other companies also to trade

there so when this english senior

company came there that we want

permission

to trade again because we also need

protection so they said now your trade

monopoly is terminated but monopoly in

two aspects were there it means fee

trade in t trade only english schneider

company this private company will

continue in indian peninsula

and with china with china also eic will

continue

otherwise now other private companies of

british and working under british empire

started coming in india for their

fulfilling their trade interest because

they were suffering huge losses due to

continental policy of napoleon right

another important thing of charter act

18 13 is

education

because it was under this act that

british government earmarked

one lakh rupees

annually

for modernized education in india so the

purpose was

that we need people to run the

administration we need to give them

specific skills so that they can be of

use to us

and when you read same period in modern

history you also read about the debate

between vernacular and anglicist medium

of education what should be the way but

that is in history part but you should

connect things right that's how you

consolidate your knowledge easily and

reproduce in exam easily right now

apart from this britishers also gave

this logic that there's a there's a you

can say abundance of literature in india

and we want this literature to be

interpreted

in you know english and other languages

and to be you know it should be exposed

to the world and for that we need people

indian people to cooperate with us so

that they are also able to

and transfer their no no knowings about

their scriptures to you know other

languages so this was another logic

which was given but you should remember

okay the the monopoly was abolished

exception and education so these are the

three key part

now comes charter act 1833

you can say

you should remember you know certain

phrases with it

for example

final step of

centralization

why the reason is you can see

william bentik

because now

governor general of bengal was given the

status of

governor

general of india

my friends

britishers till the last point means

when

they gave us independence they were

saying

india is not a nation

they said

india is just a geographical unit

which got which got united

administratively

because of our laws

so which law they are referring to they

were referring to

they were referring to charter act 1833

as a start because now

the seat in bengal

is going to be representative of british

interest across indian peninsula that is

why centralization word was used

right now governor general of india told

you

all the regulations will be now x

and

and now english east india company will

solely be administrative unit

it means

earlier you were having lot of

commercial interest

but now british empire was like british

government was saying that okay now your

commercial interests

are actually impacting the

administrative proneness and that is why

now english east india company should

absolve

remove

commercial aspects and just focus on

administrative aspects

now the

investors of english india company who

were sitting in britain they were like

now what what is going to happen with

our profits then british government was

that since this administrative unit is

responsible for collecting revenues

ensuring policies so that your revenues

stream are streamlined then definitely

there will be nothing you know how you

know your profits will be secure to the

point but now the mode of profit will be

this

now

along with this

english india company

you know who was representing commercial

interest court of directors

they were saying

that no open exam for covenant

coordinated civil services my friends it

was charter act 1833 in which for the

first time this idea was floated that

there can be a open exam

for coordinated civil services means

higher post in administration

but

english is near company and court of

directors

they were opposed to this idea now why

they were opposed to such idea so that

they can have their grip

on the administration in india

because if it is happening through open

exam

then these civil these

bureaucrats they won't listen to this

private company although

they are part of administration

which at this administration is being

run by a private company

surprising fact is that

administration india being run by a

private company allowed by british

government

and these private investors did not

wanted these officers should be working

independently

so that is why there is a hellsbury

college in london

where

you have to take admission so that you

can be part of this covenant civil

service and you cannot you could not

take admission there without a

sponsoring

letter of cod so in that way they were

maintaining control on who is going to

be there working as a bureaucrat

right so did not wanted to lose their

control on administration in india

through english east india company

although opposition started you know you

can say boiling

you know from 1833

now there was an attempt as that's why

the word attempt is used it was not

introduced it was introduced later

charter act 1853 you should remember

these differences because upsc play on

these words

okay these are these small words make a

lot of difference right i told you why

they opposed right

now charter act 1853

so you can say that

this is you can say this was that period

when

rule of english australia company

was on decline

now now crown was all set to take the

power

the legislative and executive functions

of the governor general councils were

separated till now what was happening

governor general's council

now who was governor general of india's

council

was taking decision with respect to

making laws as well as executing laws

but now after 1853 charter requested no

there should be separation there should

be a separate legislative body

law making should be separate and

execution should be different

six members in the central legislative

council

four out of six members were appointed

by provisional provisional governments

of madras bombay bengal agra it means

britishers having their provisional it

means

government at the level of state you can

say province right so they they have

their government there so each

government will have power to send one

member to the legislative council at the

governor general's level

so that when laws are made at the level

of governor general of india the

interest of these provinces can be taken

into consideration

right

now it introduced a system of open

competition as i told you

attempt was made in charter act 1833 but

it was not introduced because cod means

court of directors was opposing this

move but now it was introduced right it

was introduced at the basis of

recruitment for civil servants so those

who are preparing for civil services

you should be thankful for charter act

1853 or you should remember at least

because it was this act which actually

started this exam for which you are

preparing

right

so this was last charter act

last charter act

why

because after 1853

now tell me

what happened in 1857

so in 1857 we had

first struggle for india's independence

they call it

mutiny

so at that point of time now british

government got alerted that now

having sound administration in india is

not in the hands of english austria

company

and this revolt of 1857 there were

several reasons like annexation

exploitation you read about them in

modern history

doctrine of labs

conversion policies

westernization introduction of new

enfield rifle you know all about this

right in

modern history what were the reasons of

1857 revolt our purpose is to look into

the

legal aspects how our law

was evolving the background of

constitution was getting shaped due to

these events

now after this

now queen proclamation was done

it means now british empire said

company rule is over

now there's a start of

crown rule in india so government of

india act 1858

started okay so now

what difference does it make

so queen said

my law means government of india 1858

would be different from eic eic's rule

english regional companies rule because

now i'm going to ensure

a responsible government there

i am going to ensure

good government there

right and the concerns of indians

many princely states were fearful that

they may be acquired

now queen said

wherever are the territories of

britishers in india they cease to be

there it means no further expansion will

happen so

act of good government in india

answerable and responsive government

now my friends

answerable and responsive government

don't misconstrued it

by thinking oh quinn was thinking about

us

she was saying

now this good government

in india will be answerable and

responsive to the people of india asana

reality was

this these two words answerable and

responsive

to

british government

to british parliament

okay

that change is going to happen soon when

i'm going to talk about council

secretary to government of india 1858

kiba

we are still talking about this so

queen's proclamation of 1858 started

now

earlier you know there's this position

that governor general of india since now

there's a start of ground rule from 1858

now there was another word which was

adopted that is why siroy

voice roy it means representative of

crown okay

so apart from this a new position was

created secretary of state for india

secretary of state for india this office

was supported with 15 members in its

council and this office was maintained

in london but when it comes to

expenditure incurred in this office it

was going from

india

right so that was one concern among many

revolutionaries

or nationalists

now the indian administration was under

the authority of voice because i was

representative of crown

so now governor general

was given this title of voicerai as i

told you now company's rule is done so

that is why court of director and board

of control both segments were abolished

okay

so if i ask you the simple statement

means i'm making a statement and you

have to tell me the statement is true or

false okay

this is just a test

to actually ensure that everything is

getting contest or not

so statement is

it was

it was through pitts india act

that office of

the uh

it was through pitts india act that

board of control and court of directors

were created

comma

but after government of india 1858

both were abolished

now tell me

the statement is true or false

i'm repeating my statement i'm saying

board of control and court of director

these two segments of administration of

english india company in india were

created

through pitts india act 1784 comma

but abolished

after government of india 1858 tell me

what is going to be the answer

because the rule of psychology if you

make mistake

and i'm going to pinpoint this is the

mistake

and now you are you are going to be safe

now you are not going to be trapped by

upsc

those who are saying yes

but

please give attention to each word i see

in the previous class i also focused on

this part

that

court of director

was existing already

this court of director

who was representing the interest of

this private company was existing

already

board of control was created

as a new entity through pitts india

1784.

yes you can say the the division of

power

this commercial functions and political

function this was done in pitts india

prince india but my statement is saying

court of direct and board of control

were created from pits india at 1784

so those who are saying this is yes

so these are some you know

kind of some words here and there and

that's how upsc lay the trap

okay please remember categorization

okay so this was done in pizzeniac

now

lord canning

who was the voiceli at that point of

time

so he took a decision

means after this government of india

1858 was enacted now lord canning he

thought we need to change some aspects

in administration of crown in india

because now there's crown rule so he

said we have to involve more indians

otherwise there will be several

grievances and these grievances will led

to rupture of certain revolts so it is

better to involve more indians and

develop and evolve legislative councils

councils means there there will be

several members and these members will

participate in

law making process so that now indians

will not say that oh we are not going to

follow this law because this law was

made by britishers

since many indians are going to be

incorporated in this legislative council

now

it can be said as a reply that oh these

they we have indians also in legislative

council

right

your own brothers and sisters are making

low now

it's not just britishers are enforcing

so by this logic it was a first step

right to actually involve more indians

now there are three council sect indian

council act 1861 1891 and

1892 and 1909

right

now

first step

indian council act 1861

to ensure that we need to give

representation to indians three members

were three indians were actually

appointed here who were they

raj of banaras maharaja of patiala and

sardine karao

right now the point is who was

appointing them

they were known official members and

they were getting appointed by

y0a okay

apart from this portfolio system was

introduced

portfolio system what does it mean a

total portfolio photovala portfolio

that you are entering into

some modeling or something and then you

are having portfolio album that's not

the portfolio we're talking about

my friends we have to connect

okay this particular terminology in our

administration was introduced through

this law and we still have this

particular mechanism in india

means this pancanas was there in indian

constitution also so this is how we need

to connect our understanding

portfolio system you can equate

with system of council of minister

it means

now in executive council

it is not that collectively this

executive council is responsible for for

every executive work every department

work

now

let's segregate

the department work

now if viceroy has to take answer from

any executive member executive council

member so there is a separate you know

departments allocated to this so now

it means

mr robert may be asked mr robert

give me the status report on agriculture

give me the state of the report on

finance

mr jackson may be asked mr jackson since

you are given the portfolio of road and

railways i want to report on road and

railways we made a policy on road and

race what happened in past six months

give me the report

so now individual responsibility within

this executive council was termed as

portfolio system later we know it in the

form of council of minister system where

portfolios are allocated to different

ministers and prime minister directly

asked that concern minister okay give me

the report what your ministry has done

right so there is portfolio system and

it was introduced in 1861

decentralization initiated

in the presidencies of madras and bombay

my friends

from

1773

to 1858

we have seen a trend of centralization

of power

it means

earlier there was governed there was

governor of bengal madras and

bombay then governor of bengal was given

the title of governor general of bengal

then

that particular uh position was given to

governor

was given the title of governor general

of india so it means this is how power

was actually being centralized there

right

so now this centralization trend got

into reverse now

so how it

so it get into decentralized okay so now

decentralized

now power is is being devolved at the

provincial level also okay and we have

seen that this decentralization which

started from council of india act indian

council like 1861 so now it it went till

government of india

1935. government of india 1935 which is

like

a lot of provisions of government of

india 1935 are taken into indian

constitution

and among them the important one

is federal system

division of power between states and

union so this is an example of

decentralization which we are going to

talk about it in government of india

1935 but you should also remember from

where it started because upsc can make

these kind of statements too okay

now

just attempt this question

indian council sec 1861 provided for

decentralization tendency legislative

council for punjab

rejected the portfolio system

started associating indians with law

making process and these are the options

you have to attempt this question

and then answer in comments

in some acts

what i have done

we are discussing all important

provisions along with this

we know that upsc is not going to ask

directly from the statement

they may infer if they may check what

you infer from the statement which you

have read in lakshmi khan right so in

that case i would advise you to open

this particular act

read it and then attempt

answers are going to be shared in the

telegram group as well

right

and

the the method which you should use is

elimination here

okay because under for example you have

gained the understanding the portfolio

system was introduced so how can this be

true

reject it

so it means this is no

this is no

right

decentralization tendency we all know we

already know what you don't know is that

legislative council of punjab whether

this was introduced or not right and it

started asserting with indians lawmaking

process this is also correct i've

already told you this was the whole

purpose of lord canning so it means

four

means one and four and one to four these

two are mentioned right and legislative

council for punjab the purpose of indian

council's act was not just to take into

consideration the councils at the level

of center

we were talking about the councils at

the level of provinces also right answer

is one

two and four

okay

now indian council sects 1892

so it increased the number of it means

number of additional purpose was to

expand the involvement of indians

non-official members in

central and provincial legislative

councils

now

important is not

means it this this you need to identify

the trick part

but maintain the official majority in

them

the trick will be played here in the

bold part

what does it mean

it mean

non-official members are being involved

it means

they are not part of uh british you can

say british administration

they are representative of people okay

means they may be

you can say expert in certain areas

that's why they are being involved but

they are not officials

and when it comes to

decision whether this law is going to be

passed how that decision is taken in

legislative council this is taken on the

basis of majority

my friends if non-official members are

not in majority

do you expect

that they can propose some law for the

betterment of indians and they can

actually ensure that this law can be

passed without support of officials

no this can't happen

so it means although a step was taken

for having more involvement of indians

but

means britishers were not having genuine

interest to give us the power that we

can actually propose the law and we have

the majority we can pass the law and

then britishers will be there oh since

you have passed the law we are going to

implement it no this was not not the

case there so please remember indian

council like 1892 but maintain the

official majority in them

both central and provincial

right one tricky question can also be

made where upsc can say

official majority was maintained at

provincial level but not at central

level

okay these kind of you can say traps are

laid

now legislative councils were expanded

gave them functions legislative councils

such as budget and questioning the

executive now this is important

and this is good aspect you should say

because now

at least you can ask question from the

executive

and don't you think in our parliament

our legislature questioning is the

essence of democracy

right all the members have this right if

they want to ask question from any

minister they can ask that question they

have to send the question in lok sabha

to the speaker and then speaker will

select categorize this question and send

this question to the concerned minister

right so questioning

you know power of questioning in the

legislature entered through indian

council sect 1892

now indian council sect

1909

famously known as molly minto reforms i

would say in famous

this particular act was infamous also

infamous why

due to communal electorate

right now direct elections to the

legislative council first time first

time

the number of members of the legislative

council was increased from 16 to 60.

so when i'm seeing direct collection

don't consider that all of uh all the

people you know universal and l

franchise got into ninety assanita

limited franchise weren't there was

there only few people were given right

to vote

right and they were the one who are

participating in elections

this particular reform is famous for the

separation of communal electorate what

does it mean

when you use the word electorate

what does it mean

and when i'm saying separate common

electorate communal electorate word

communal means

based on community

you have separate

electoral features what does it mean

for example

more limited reform saying muslims are

going to be given

separate

electorate

in a particular area where a seat is

allocated as a muslim seat

there only muslims are going to vote

and muslim is going to fight the you can

say election

so this idea although was supported by

many western you can say political

thinkers of the time they were saying

in a society

where there are minorities

and to ensure that minorities have their

say in administration so that they are

not suppressed

we should introduce separate electorate

but my friends

there is a huge demerit also

for example

in an area

it was not like that our society in our

society people were living that in a

particular constituency only muslims are

going to live and other constituents

hindus are going to live we

were a diverse society intervening with

each other right so at that point of

time

in a particular neighborhood

if muslims are the one who are allowed

to vote and hindus can't vote other

other religions can't vote

now don't you think

this particular process of electorate

will actually have huge negative

implications number one division of the

people

right people would say we don't have

voting power

and second

is that representative will only come at

the door of people who are going to vote

who are going to ensure his success his

candidature to actually get select you

know get appointed

um after election the point is

point is that this will actually be a

negative connotation

right

now

those people if they will they will come

that we have these local issues then

that person would say

but those who are the actual voters that

person will give privacy to them right

so this is the fault of the system right

it is said that britishers introduced

this to divide indian society on

communal lines

for the first time indians was indian

was made as the member of executive

council of voicerai and the name was

sateen the prasad sinha as

law member

now

just

check out this question consider the

following statements more limited

reforms provincial legislative council

scheme

to have non-official majority

the discussion on budget including

supplementary question was

introduced for the first time muslims

were given separate electorate

mole mentor reforms

so you have to attempt that question

okay

now

government of india act 1919

montague transport reform

okay and when i'm saying molly minto or

montego champs ford

it means minto is voicerai and more like

secretary of state

okay

james ford is voice right

and montague is secretary of state for

india now

1919

important law

he can easily remember

on the basis of division of power

and how power was divided take a look

leslie legislature list got divided into

two part

central subject and provincial subject

it means

earlier

this council of this governor general's

council after that we had this

central legislative council

it was having you know a power to make

law on every subject

and some on some subject there was huge

overlap with provincial provincial

isolated council

so their need arised

that why not we divide our spheres

it means

if certain laws can be made at by

provincial legislature because they have

better know how of the ground situation

then these power should be given to

provincial legislature

if certain laws need uniformity across

different provinces then these then

these subjects to make loan these

subjects this power should be given to

central legislature

right so that's how this categorization

was done central subject and provincial

subject okay

and you also know that in our indian

constitution schedule 7 we have

union list state list and we have also

concurrent list so uniless simply means

the matters on which only union

legislature can make law parliament can

make law state list matter on which

state legislature is going to make law

right so this idea of categorization of

subjects between union and state it

emerged where

1990

you can use your pictographic memory

it means

understanding one thing is you know one

way right and another is

associate with some picture okay 1919 oh

there was division happening

right so in this way you can actually

remember this

apart from this when it comes to

provincial subjects they were further

divided into two

one was

reserves list and other was transferred

list

reserved list means now only governor

general of that province

along with

the concerned

members of council they are going to

take this decision

for this taking decision on these

reserved subjects they are not bound

answerable to the council

but when it comes to transferred list

with regard to these these

these topics which are these subjects

which are mentioned in this transfer

list they have to take into

consideration

the uh the process of counsel

it means

important subjects were taken in reserve

list

so that

the members the indian community members

in this provincial legislative council

so that they cannot question this

because they don't have any say over

this

but when it comes to some

you can say

some two simple kind of subjects right

uh basic things they were given into

transferred okay on these things you can

debate you can bring law you can bring

bill and then we we're going to discuss

and then we are going to make law right

so important things were keep kept in

deserved list

so this division

this division of subjects is called as

diarchy

d y

means d i mean say to archi means rule

diarchy means

rule in two ways two ways why because

legal subjects the subjects on which law

can be made is divided into two parts

okay please remember

diarchy means the subjects on which

on which laws are going to make these

are divided into two parts one reserved

means britishers they're they're

governor governor at the

at the level of province along with the

council members they're not accountable

to this legislative council reserved

and here they are

right

so this division is known as

although

there was a lot of

you can say

opposition to this very idea

right because you have given you know

certain subjects and transferred but

even if we are we want to raise some

points we want to contribute in law

making process on the subjects which are

more important and you have put in

reserve list then this is like a mockery

right

apart from this government of india 1919

also introduced bicameral legislature

bicameral means

now please remember

we were talking about division of

subjects

means

areas on which laws are made

we were just talking about those

divisions right

now we are talking about house

like we have lok sabha and rasaba two

separate houses

so by criminal legislature legislative

council and legislative assembly word

was were used at that point of time in

in current scenario you can equate with

lok sabha and rajya sabha

okay

so majority

directly elected majority in both

now establishment of central public

service commission

this is important for you right

it was

it was this

1919 act through which central public

service commission was established now

you have upsc union public service

commission

right limited franchise was there it

means everyone was not having right to

vote

voting rights were given the basis of

property tax and education the tax you

pay the property you have the education

you have

only around 10 percent indians were

having this right to vote at that point

of time

okay another important part

voice rise executive council

there were six members here out of the

six members three members

apart from achieve need to be indians

so this was an important development

here

means six members

in

viceroy's council right viceroy's

executive council out of these

six members three members need to be

indians

right

now

now a simon commission was made to

review the implementation of this 1919

act

now huge you can say opposition was done

against the simon commission because

many indian leaders were having you know

serious reservations with 1990 net

saying this is a mockery

you already have made reserve subject

important subjects are with you directly

you have introduced

right and true representation true

involvement of indian has not been

realized until now it was a promise

given way back right lord canning idea

then council three councils act

so now simon commission was made to

review this now the point of contention

was no indian was part of the simon

commission in modern history you must

have uh read about simon commission and

simon go back right uh lalala

lost his life

right

now seven member commission no indians

were there objective to inquire about

the working of 1998 this objective need

to be uh no you should remember a

statement kind of question has been

asked already by upsc i think 2015.

now recommendations what were the

recommendations of salmon commission one

abolition of dark i've already told you

serious reservations were against this

concept of their ki

reserve subject transfer subject so

summon commission

right otherwise problems will continue

extension of responsible government in

provinces

continuation of communal representation

communal representation continue to

separate electorate

establishment of federation of british

india and princely states federation of

british india and peninsula state

princely state will be member of this

federation

so now indians objected to this simon

commission right and there was you know

simon goback was going on though these

recommendations were incorporated in

government of india 1935 they were

incorporated this is also

important okay many people miss on this

particular statement and this particular

statement is used please remember it

now

after this three round table content

conferences happened in london

where

british shirts invited

important leaders from all sections of

indian society so that they can listen

to them

their grievances their suggestions and

check out the future plan of

administering british india

so

gandhiji went only in second conference

and sarojini naitu and dr b r ambedkar

went into all three conference

representative of british government

representative india and representative

princely state all three segments were

present there

as an outcome

mcdonald award ramsey mcdonald the

british prime minister at that point of

time was declared ramsey mcdonald award

it means

now separate electorate

which were earlier there

for

muslims but now ramsey magnolia was

saying

on the on the you know on the ideas of

doctor bmw that separate electorate

needs to be introduced for depressed

sections also

and after this you know that uh many

indian leaders primarily mahatma

gandhiji considered it as a attempt to

divide indian society further by

britishers and specifically hindu

society so that they can weaken

the you can say a national movement so

uh in

on 26th january 1930 we had this demand

of pune swaraj and then we all at that

nineteen thirty two we had this ramsey

mcdonald award this kebab

extending separate electrodes scheduled

classes

now what mahatma gandhi did mahatma

gandhi set

on fast unto death in yerbada jail right

here the jail pune and then there was

huge pressure on dr b rambedkar that you

have to save life of mahatma gandhi

because condition of mahatma gandhi was

that this

this

demand of separate electorate for a

depressed section should be removed

so

under the public pressure dr b r

ambedkar went to yerba jail they had a

discussion with mahatma gandhi and

finally

they they both arrived at a conclusion

that we are going to find a middleweight

and middleweight is going to be

reservation for depressed classes

in subsequent provincial legislative

elections

provincial legislative council elections

so this was signed and separate you know

reservation was reservation is you know

different from separate electorate

because in separate electorate it means

if a particular seat constituency is

declared as

depressed section for depressed section

now only dip those categories as

depressed section can vote

and only candidate can be from depressed

section but when you say reservation it

means

this can this particular seed is

represent for depressed section it means

candidate can be from depressed section

but when it comes to voters voters will

be all eligible voters who are residing

in that particular territory okay so

this was considered as a better way

at that point of time in 1934 m and roy

demand for constitution india by indians

this was raised please remember amen roy

now there's a question for you

simon commission which was appointed in

1997 submitted so just take a look over

this question okay and post your answer

in comments

this pdf will be available in the

telegram group i'm going to show the

telegram address in the last okay so no

need to worry

now government of india 1935

this particular act has a lot of

provisions you know we have a lot of

provisions from this act in our

constitution because

why we had we why we have been

incorporated because already

administrative structure was developed

so our constitution framers thought

why we should actually dismantle a

structure which has already been made

why should we do a trial and error if we

can improvise on a structure which has

already been made by britishers

so all india federation was proposed

which would consist of british india

princely states and categorized through

subjects central provincial as well as

concurrent and this is exactly the three

lists these are exactly the three list

which we have in our constitution seven

schedule right

so center means center subject means

federalist means on federalists means as

of now we use union list center can make

law

provincialist it means state list only

state can make law and when i say

confront list concurrent means both can

law both can make law but when it comes

to

if

those two laws which are made on a

matter in confront list come into

conflict then whose law will prevail

law will prevail this is a common uh you

can say idea but my friends

in

you know in previous judgments supreme

court has arrived

on a on a doctrine where harmonization

is done

whenever a central and state law came

into conflict some provisions came into

conflict then this interpretation of

that law so that harmonization can be

done right harmonized reconstruction

okay

today we are talking about historical

background indian constitution we are

going to focus exactly on that okay

now diarchy was abolished at provincial

level

and introduced at the level of center

now if us upsc is making a statement

as per government of india 1935 dayarki

was abolished at provincial level

and it got enacted in indian

administration in it was it got enacted

in british administration at the level

of center do you think that statement

would be true

what do you think true or false true or

false come on

some of you might say

sir

buddhism

answer is false

because

it was introduced in the law

it was introduced in the law means in

the law government of india 1985 has

this provision

there there should be a direct at the

level of center

but it never got enacted

due to a lot of repulsion against the

idea of dericki at provincial level also

in the past

okay so these are some intricacies on

which you know upsc lay the trap now

more autonomy was accorded to the

provinces six out of 11 promises but

bikram legislature was introduced

so if i ask bicameral legislature as a

concept was introduced by which law come

on aminabhi

1919

right

now here we are extending it to

provinces right different provinces a

federal court was established indian

council was established uh abolished

extension of communal representation to

sc's women and laborers yes

we are talking about 1935.

puna that has already been done but

britishers were not got deterred from

pune fact

now ambedkar would be satisfied at the

level

for reservation but britishers be

government of india 1935 may separate

communal representation

all right

now act provided for establishment of

rbi it was the sect

through this through which rbi got

established right reserve bank of india

there was a separate law for reserve

bank of india also right rbi 1934

and dude so arabic 1934 came earlier and

how rbi is going to position or

interlink with the administration these

provisions were mentioned in government

of india 1935 right and rb got

established in 1935.

this act continued with its place in new

indian constitution as i told you and at

that point of time around 10 people were

having power to vote

now this is an mcq for you on this

take a screenshot

and attempt

now came the august offer

now britishers were in trouble in 1935

world war ii was started

hitler

was in position to attack britain

and at that point of time britishers

wanted support of indians right so now

britishers are saying

that again

in in exchange of support of indians

full-fledged support of indians we are

going to give dominion status

do you think at this stage indian

nationalist leaders would agree on

domain status no

right so this is what exactly happened

so you read about it in modern history

right

later congress put forth his own demand

we are going to support you but this is

what we need as world war two ends

now this dominant status demand was

rejected by indians

then we had the scripps mission 1942

dominant status to india protection of

minorities setting up constant assembly

with representatives from pennsylvania

states british provinces provisions of

british provinces to have their own

constitution they want so these kind of

ideas actually were proposed in crips

mission and it was a big fail

we are talking about 1942

do or die

right

good india movement

so

again a question for you

now

india independence act

where we had a trust with the destiny of

india as

our first prime minister mr jawaharlal

nehru says in discovery of india's book

so it declared india's independent and

sovereign state from legal standpoint

you should know

that

after this india independence act now

constant assembly which was already made

was giving the status that okay this

constant assembly will be responsible

for making constitution as well as work

as parliament of india that's why my

friends when the same constant assembly

got you know was sitting for discussing

the constitution

it was presided by

dr

rajendra prasad as a president of

constant assembly but when same

constituent assembly was working as

parliament at that point of time mr gv

mavlankar was heading that

now

the keeping facts aside partition of

india happened there was creation of

pakistan this position of secretary of

state for india got is abolished and

this title viceroy this was also removed

because viceroy means representative of

crown and why would we have

representative crown if we are going to

get independence after this act

so it abolished the office of viceroy

and provided for a governor general who

was to be appointed by the british king

or for the dominion of

cabinet for the dominion cabinet because

abhi xtop gap solution

now it empowered the constant assemblies

and pakistan they were now they were

given this sovereignty to decide the

constitution

of india as well as constitution of

pakistan

now governance of each dominion was

conducted based on government of india

1935 as i told you

right british monarch could no longer

ask for bills

right okay okay you have to give me the

bill and then i'm going to turn into act

no we are not going to

the crown rule ends here avoid time gaia

right now governor general of the

dominions were made to act and aid or

the advice of the council

and then we had

our last

governor general mr mountbatten right

at the stroke of midnight

british rule came to end in india

lord mountbatten became the first

governor general of the new dominion of

india because as

lord mountbatten gave this charge of

governor general of india to see raja

gopalachari then this was final you can

say

exit of britishers the constant assembly

of india formed in 1946 and became the

parliament of indian dominion

and after the enactment of constitution

we were

sovereign socialist socialist word came

later secular democratic republic

right

care

constant assembly per discussion and the

addition of the words we are going to

talk

in the next lectures upcoming sessions

see you then till then keep learning

keep growing shashank thyagi signing off

the pdfs will be available in this

telegram group shashank tyagi for you

you can also connect with me on

instagram or twitter to ask any doubt

i'll be there for you