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r i s d ic t i o n o v e r a ll t h e in h a b i t a n t s o f C a lc u t t a . Th e S u
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a cc o rd an c e w ith th e la w o f th e d e fe n d a n ť .

1 A p p r e c ia tio n

th e ob je c t o f th e A c t o f S e tt le m e n t, 17 8 1 w a s to p
re se rv e th e tw o ju d ic i a ı

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th e C o m an y
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C o u r ts Th o u g h th e
r e la ti o n s w i th th e S u
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v e ry h o s t ile
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bo
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r e a t in s t it u t i o n th b y th e
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2 7
T he C o u r t f u n c t io n e d so w e l l th a t i t w o n
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e o le an d a s a r e s u l t o f th is
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e rn m en t a n d th e p p

a d ra s
2 8

in B o m b a y an d M
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.

s im il a r c o u r t s w e re a ls o

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-

d e fe c ts m a d e
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in tr o d u c tio n o f r u le o f la w an d in d e p e n d e n c e o f j u d ic i a r y in
je o p a r d i s in g th e
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C o u n c il o f th e G o v e rn m e n t a ll i n a l l,
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n o t s p e c if y w h e th e r th e P r o v in c ia l C o u r ts
th e ju d ic ia l c o n t r o l . Th e A c t d id

ith th e S u p re m e C o u rt a n d if it h a d
w e re to h av e c o n c u rre n t ju r is d ic t io n w

2 9
hen u n d e r w h a t r e s tr ic t io n s i t w a s to b e e x e r c is e d A s
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e x c l u s iv e r is d ic t i o n ,
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d is tin c tio n b e tw e en th e
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h ic h o r i g in a t e d d u e to M o g h u l E m ir e an d
en cy to w n s an d m o f u s s i ls w p
p r e s id
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th e C o m p
an y s fa c to r ie s .
3 o

26 . 70 L A . 177 n0 .

o f th e C o u r ts & L e g is la tiv e A u th o r itie s in In d ia

th p p
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2T . C o w e ll , C . : e H is to r y a n d C o n s t it u tio n

5 7 5 9 (19 0 5 )
-
.

S u p re m e C o u rt b y th e
28 . T he te r r ito r ie s o f B a n a r a s w e r e in c lu d e d u n d e r th e j u r is d ic tio n o f th e

P a r lia m e n t A đ o f 1 8 0 0 .

29 Ib e Government o f I n d ia p p 65 68
-
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30 . Su p r・ n o te 2 7
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f u s t ic e in I n d ia a n d j it w a s o n
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c o n s id e r a b le e x te n t .

lle d th e S e c re t C o m m i t te e w a s h e a d e d b y H e n r
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o f th e B r itis h G o v e rn m e n t o n th e c o a s t
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s itio n

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ho 2
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o w n a s th e F o x s Ea st In d ia B ill su
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p w h o ll
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p g p
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p a n y (i e In
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s m a n a
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'
Fo x B ill p ro o se d to a b o lis h '
s
p th e C o m
p a n y C o u ft o f p ro
p r ie t o r s
s
a n d th e
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p C o m a n u n d e r
p y a B o a rd o f S e v e n
C o m m is s io n e r s w it h o w e r to a
p p p o in t a n d re m o v e o f f ic e r s in I n d ia a n d
a d m in i s t e r th e te r r ito r ie s , r e v e n u e s a n d co m m e rc e o f th e
o f o f fi c e
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o f th e s e C o m m is s io n e r s w a s fo r se v e n
y e a rs a n d th e c o u ld n o t b e
re m o v e d e x ce y
p t b y th e K in
g
o n th e re c o m m e n d a tio n o f th e
a ls o s u
p a r l ia m e n t . The B il l
g g e s te d th e e s ta b h s h m e n t o f a s u b o r d in a t e
D ir e c to r s f o r tt ie m an a
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g em e n t o f th e co m m e r c i a l tr a n s a
c tio n s o f th e
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p
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.

to b e ch o sen b th e p a r li a m
y e n t fro m a m o n st
g

31 . Th e S e le c t C o m m i tte e w as h ead ed b y E d m u n d B u rk e w h ic h su b m ıt te d tw e lv e h ig h l
y
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.'
r y a =
1 7 8 1 .
m i t te e
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' " s ix
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he p a rt o f c o
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x c a n ' '" . B e i
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la r it y o f
u n p o p u
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p 34 d
o r th s e le c te
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l Fo x
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B ill u n f o r t u n a te y ,
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o f th e
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fa ilu r e B ill w o u ıd h a v e
d
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t he
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th e c a u se
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784 w e re m
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to th e
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1784
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th e p itt s
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'

o f th e p itt s In
m e p r o v is io n

o m e ( in E n g la n d )
w ith c o m p
a n y
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s Go v e r n m e n t a t H

1 p r o v is io n s d e a l in g
. '
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c a l le d th e
o f c o m m is s io n e r s
d a B o a rd
Th e A c t e s ta b lis h e o f S ta t e
o f th e S e c r e ta r y ,
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"

A f f a ir s o f I n d ia
.

c o m m is s io n e r s f o r th e They w e re
P r iv y C o u n c il .

fo u r m e m b e r s o f th e
u e r an d
th e C h a n c e llo r o f E x c h e q to
The B o a rd f u n c tio n e d
h e ld o f f ic e d u r in g h i s p le a s u r e .

a o in te d b y K in g an d
p p to th e c iv i l a n d
an d o p e r a t io n s r e la tin g
d ir e c t an d c o n t r o l a ll a c t s
s u p e r in te n d ,
T h e
in E a st I n d ie s :
re v e n u e s o f B r i tis h te r r it o r ie s
m ilit a r y o v e rn m en t o r
g th e c a s t in g
Th e p r e s id in g o f f ic e r h a d
o f th e B o a rd w a s f ix e d a t th r e e
o ru m
.

qu c o p ie s o f m in u t e s
b e s u p p ıie d th e ,

ıi
n e B o a rd o f c o m m is s io n e r s w a s to
v o te .

o f
・

a n y a n d th e c o p ie s
th e C o m
o rd e rs, r e s o lu t io n s a n d p
r o c e e d in g s o f p
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b th e D ir e c t o r s o r a n y
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th e d e s p a tc h e s a n d
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n
ii e S e c r e ta r y o f S ta te w a s to b e
r e c e iv e th e c o p ie s o f t h e m n rli f ip d d e s p a tc h e s .

34 . Bo th o f th e m b e lo n g e d t o W h ig P a r t
y
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th e C h a ir m a n o f th e B o a rd a n d th e m e m b e rs o f th e B o a rd in c l u d in
g th e

C h a ir m a n w e re u n
p
a id o f f ic ia ls .

The '
w a s, ho w e v e r, a llo w e d .
To c o n tin u e a s
C o m
p an y s c o u r t o f D ir e c to r s
be fo r e e re r e a s s e r te d . The C o u rt h a d th e ri
g h t
a n d its c o m m e g es w
e r c ia l p r iv iı
to th e °s s ib le e n c ro a c h m e n t b th e
a p C o u n c il a g a in s t y
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o w e re d to a
p p o in t

G o v e rn o r -
G e n e ra ı
, m e m b e rs o f th e C o u n c il a
n d o th e r o f f ic e r s o f th e C o m p an y .

2 P . ro v is io n s r e la t in in I n d ia
g t o E x e c u tiv e G o v e r n m e n t

The A c t in t r o d u c e d a ch a n e in th e co m o s i tio n o f th e G o v e rn o r -
G en e ra l
g p
a n d C o u n c il o f In d ia b e rs w a s re d u c e d fr o m f o u r to th r e e a n d
. Th e n u m b er o f m em
th e C o m m a n d e r -
in C h ie-
f o f th e C o m an y
'
s fo r c e s in I n d ia w a s to b e o n e o f th e
p
m e m b e r s o f th e C o u n c il H e w a s la c e d n e x t in p
o s itio n to th e G o v e r n o r -
G e n e ra l
p
.

in th e C o u n c il . Th e c o n tr o l o f B e n a l p r e s id e n ç y o v e r o th e r P r e s id e n c ie s w a s
g
fu r th e r t i
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g h te n e d u r o v id e d th a t th e G o v e r n o r en era l
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p
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o f h is C o u n c il
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g a rd to o r d e r s o f th e D i' ' " o ' . s e r v a n ts o f
th e C o m
p an y co u ld b e a
p p o in te d as m em b e r s o f th ê C o u n c il .

3 P . r o v is io n s d e a l i n w i th th e p r e s id e n c ie s
g .

The G o v e r n o r
'
s C o u n c il in e ach p r e s id e n c w a s to c o n s is t o f th r e e
y a n d n o t
fo u r m e m b e r s a s b e fo r e d C o m m an d e r in C h ie f
a w a s to b e o n e o f th e m The
- -
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.

G o v e rn o r h a d a c a s t in v o te The s u b o r d in a te
g .
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co
p ie s o f th e i r r u le s , r e
g u la tio n s a n d a e rs o n im o r ta n t m a t te r s
p p p to th e
G o v e rn o r -
G e n e ra l a n d C o u n c i l a t C a lc u t t a .

4 M is c e l la n eo u s
p r o v is io n s
.

The A c t d ir e c t e d th e C o m a n to re d u c e
p y its e x e n d i tu r e b r e s o r tin
p y to
m e a s u re s g
su ch a s r e tr e n c h m e n t a n d r e d u c tio n o f s ta f f Th
. e s e r v a n ts o f th e
C o m
p a n y w e re re
q u ir e d to d e c la r e o n o a th th e a m o u n t o f ro
b ro u
p p e r ty th e
y h a d
g h t fr o m In d ia .

The A ct
p r o v id e d fo r th e e s t a b lis h m en t o f a S
p e c ia İ C o u r t c o n s i s t in o f
th re e Ju d fo g
g e s, u r P e e rs a n d s ix in e m b e r s o f th e H o u se o f C o m m o n s to tr y th e
c a se s o f th o s e E n
g l is h m e n w h o h a v in c o m m i tt e d
g o ff e n c e s in
bro u
g h t to e n
I n d ia , w e r e

g la n d f o r t r ia l .

A n ap r a is a l o f t h e P it t '
p s In d i a A c t, 1 7 8 4

Th e B r i t is h G o v e rn m e n t k e en l d e s ir e d
y th a t th e C o m
p a n y
p la c e d in s h o u ld b e
d i r e c t s u b o r d in a t
io n o f th e B r i t is h p a r lia m e n t p itt a c h ie v ę d th i s
q b je
.

c tiv e in a m a s te r l m an n e r b
y y in tr o d u c in '
g th e p itt s In d ia A c t, 1784 T h e A c t
w a s e s s e n ti a ll y
.

a n o u tc o m e o f th e co m
p ro m is in
g a t ti tu d e o f th e p a r li a m en t
to w a rd s th e C o m p an y It d iv id e d th e e n t ir e
.

a d m in i s t r a t i v e a c t iv i t ie s o f th e
C o m
p a n y in t o tw o d i s tin c t
ly
p a r ts , n a m e c o n Įm e r c i a ı a c ti v i t ie
s a n d th e
p o l i t ic a l a c t i v i t ie s .
3 5
Th e co m m e r c ia l a c tiv i ti e s w e re le f t in t a c t w i th th e
35 K a u r, C Th e C o n s titu tio n a l H is to r
.

p A . .
y o f In d ia p . 2 2 (1 9 7 0 ) .

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in th e h an d s o f th e B o a rd a n d
w e a p °n th e B o a rd m a d e u se o f th i s w
p o e r
e ly
e x te n s iv
.

t he a c t a ls o so u
g h t to re m o v e th e h in d r a n c e s w h ic h h a d b ro u h t h a s t in
g g s
in to c o ll u s i o n w i th h is C o u n c il a n d s u b o r d in a t e G o v e r n m e n t s .
3 6
T in is w a s
d b r e d u c in
a c h ie v e y g th e n tu n b e r o f C o u n
c ill o r s .

'
The P itt In d ia A c t
p r o v id e d
s
a n e f f e c tiv e m a c h in e r fo r th e t r ia l o f
y
En g
lis h o ffe n d e r s f r o m I n d ia w h o w e r e s e n t t o E n la n d to b e
g tr ie d b y th e s p e c ia l
C o u rt se t u
p
fo r th e
p u rp o se .

It g o
・

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e s to th e c r e d it o f th e In
P it t s d ia A c t th a t i t furnis hed a b a s is f o r th e
e s t a b l is h m e n t o f a s
y s te m o f G o v e rn m e n t w h ic h re m a in e d in v o
g u e ti ll th e
tr a n s fe r o f o w e r
a7
to th e C r o w n in 1 8 5 8
p .

D e s
p
ite th e s e m e r its o f th e p itt
'
s I n d ia A c t, 1 784 i t w a s n o t fr e e fr o m
,

d e f e c ts . T o c o u n t o n l a fe w fir s t l y ffe re d fro m th e a m b i it in i ts

y g u
, , i t s u
y
la n
g u a g e . In th e B o a rd o f C o n t r o l, it w a s th e w i ll o f th e P r e s id e n t w h ic h

u s u a ll
y p
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d u a l c o n tr o l
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o n C o m a n fr o m h o m e (i
p y
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.

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la n d )p o se d m á n
y r o b le m s T he C o m a n w a s c o n tr o lle d b th e C o u r t o f
p
.

p y y
D ir e c to r s b n th e o n e h a n d a n d th e B o a rd o f C o n tr o l o n th e o th e r . T h ir d ly .

tr a n s m is s io n o f d e s a tc h e s th r o u h B o a rd o f C o n tr o l w a s c u m b e rs o m e a n d
p g
d ila to r y A s K V P u n n ia h ri h tl o b se rv e d
"
b e fo re a d e s a tc h u
p o n th e m o s t
. . .

g y ,
p
im r
p o ta n t m a tte r c o u ld
g o to I n d ia , i t h a d to o s c il la t e b e tw e e n th e C a n n o n R o w
-

Fo d
. /

a n d I n d ia H o u se u r th l e r
.
y , u n th e sch e m e in tr o d u c e d b
y th e A c t, t h e
GOVernor G -
e n e ra l h a d tw o m a s te r s to o b e
y , n a m e ly , t h e C o u rt o f D ir e c to r s a n d

th e B o a rd o f C o n t r o l, a n d h e c o u ld a ff o r d to d is o b e
y
n e ith e r . In v ie w o f th e

de la
y
s in v o l v e d in tr a n s m is s io n o f d e s
p
a tc h e s , t h e a u th o r i tie s a t
'
H o m e
'

w e r e

le ft w i th n o o th e r a l te r n a t i v e b u t to a
p p
ro v e th e a c t io n o f th e G o v e rn o r -

G G
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e n e ra l Th u s th e G o v e r n o r e n e r a l, h e he sp o t
'

h jo r
-
. t m a n o n t a d a m a s h a re in
ta k in
g
d e c is i o n s o n m a t te r s r e la t in to C o m a n
'

ffa ir s in I n d ia
g p y s a .

T h e A ct o f 1 7 8 6

So m e im
p
o r ta n t a m en d m e n ts w e re m a c le in th e P it t
'
s In d ia A c t b th e A c t
y
o f 1 7 8 6 . T h is A ct w a s m a in l
y in tr o d u c e d to c o n c e d e to th e d e m a n d o f L o rd

COWWallis th a t th e G o v e rn o r -

G e n e ra l c o u ld in s e c ia l c a s e s o v e r r id e th e
p ,

m j
a o r it
y
d e c is io n o f h is C o u n c jj a n d a c t o n h is o w n re s
p
o n s ib i l i t
y
. Th e A c t o f
178 6 a ls o e n a b le d th e o f f ic e s o f th e G o v e rn o r -
G en e ra l a n d C o m m a n d e r -
in -

C h ie f to b e u n it e d in th e s a m e e rs o n
p
.

ņ 0 D

36 . L y a ll B r i tis h D o m in io n in I n d ia 2 16
p
. .

37 . N b e r t, C G O V e r n m e n t o f Į n d ia
(2 n d E d ) 66
p
. .

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