Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Saint Helena Act 1833

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Citation
  
3 & 4 Will 4 c 85

Saint Helena Act 1833

Long title
  
An Act for effecting an Arrangement with the East India Company, and for the better Government of His Majesty’s Indian Territories, till the Thirtieth Day of April One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.

Repealed by
  
Government of India Act 1915 (all except section 112)

The Saint Helena Act 1833 or The Government of India Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will 4 c 85) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

As this Act was also intended to provide for an extension of the royal charter granted to the East India Company, it is also called the Charter Act of 1833. This Act extended the charter by 20 years. It contained the following provisions:

  • It redesignated the Governor-General of Bengal as the Governor-General of India. Under this provision Lord William Bentinck became the first Governor-General of India.
  • It deprived the Governors of Bombay and Madras of their legislative powers. For the first time, the Governor-General's Government was known as the 'Government of India' and his council as the 'India Council'. The Governor-General and his executive council were given exclusive legislative powers for the whole of British India.
  • It ended the activities of the British East India Company as a commercial body and it became a purely administrative body. In particular, the Company lost its monopoly on trade with China and other parts of the Far East.
  • It attempted to introduce a system of open competitions for the selection of civil servants. However this provision was negated after opposition from the Court of Directors who continued to hold the privilege of appointing Company officials.
  • The island of Saint Helena was vested in His Majesty.

    • With the exception of section 112, vesting Saint Helena in the monarchy, the act was repealed by the Government of India Act 1915.

    References

    Saint Helena Act 1833 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA