DMPQ-The defect of the Regulating Act of 1773 and the urgency of the British Politics necessitated the passing of Pitt’s India Act in 1784. In the light of statement Write down the salient features of the Pitts India Act.

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For political matters, the Board of Control was created and for commercial affairs, the Court of Directors was appointed.

  • The Board of Control took care of civil and military affairs. It comprised of 6 people:
  1. Secretary of State (Board President)
  2. Chancellor of the Exchequer
  3. Four Privy Councillors
  • In this dual system of control, the company was represented by the Court of Directors and the British government by the Board of Control.
  • The act mandated that all civil and military officers disclose their property in India and Britain within two months of their joining.
  • The Governor-General’s council’s strength was reduced to three members. One of the three would be the Commander-in-Chief of the British Crown’s army in India.
  • The Governor-General was given the right of veto.
  • The Presidencies of Madras and Bombay became subordinate to the Bengal Presidency. In effect, Calcutta became the capital of the British possessions in India.
  • This act made a distinction between the commercial and political activities of the East India Company.
  • For the first time, the term ‘British possessions in India’ was used.
  • This act gave the British government direct control over Indian administration.
  • The Company became subordinate to the British government unlike as in the previous Regulating Act of 1773, where the government only sought to ‘regulate’ matters and not take over.
  • This act established the British Crown’s authority in the civil and military administration of its Indian territories. Commercial activities were still a monopoly of the Company.