As the East India Company started acquiring more and more territories, the crown felt that the affairs of the Company should be regulated. As a result, the Regulating Act of 1773 was enacted.
Salient Feature of Regulating Act of 1773:
- They established a government in Calcutta Presidency, comprising a Governor-General and a Council of four members who collectively exercised authority.
- The government in Calcutta subordinated the governments of the Presidencies of Bombay and Madras.
- it empowered the British Crown to establish a Supreme Court in Bengal with jurisdiction over Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
The legislative authority of the Governor-General and Council were subject to certain limitations:
- the rules and regulations made by them were not to be repugnant to the laws of England,
- they required registration by the Supreme Court which was given the power to veto them,
- there could be an appeal against them to the British Government and
- the Governor-General and the Council were under the duty to forward all such rules and regulations to England and the King-in-Council was competent to disapprove them at any time within two years.
How to remember? – Till this Act, EIC was enjoying in India without any control. But now an
executive came to control them. So EIC started HATING him. (HATING HASTING)
Warren Hastings
Why this Act is important?
- The British Government took the first step to control and regulate the affairs of the EIC in India.
- First time, British government recognized the political and administrative functions of the EIC.
- British government laid the foundations of central administration in India.
Read Also: Federal Structure Of India
