Increasing numbers in Governor General’s Council

March 21, 2016 March 21, 2016

The early charters of the British East India Company have now lost. For the first time, the charter of 1726 empowered the government in Council and three Presidencies to make laws, ordinance and regulations in their jurisdictions. Each presidency was virtually independent of each other and only responsible to court of directors in England. Regulating Act 1773 marked beginning of Parliamentary control over East India Company. This act made it clear that the administration of Indian territories was not a personal affair of the company and that the British Parliament had every right to pass laws and instructions in that regard. This act started the process of territorial integration and administrative centralization in East India Company. The act provided for four members of the Governor General’s Council to do all functions i.e. executive, legislative and judicial. There was inadequate coordination between the legislative policies of all the presidencies and the legislative power of presidency government was inadequate. Various Acts that followed increased the number of the members. The below list shows how the Central legislature in India grew in numbers from a 4 member Governor General’s Council to a current parliament with maximum strength of 802 members.

Regulating Act 1773 → 4 members in Governor General’s Council
Pitts India Act 1784 → 3 members in Governor General’s Council
Charter Act 1833 → Total 4 Members
- 3 members in Governor General’s Council
- 1 Law member
Charter Act of 1853 → Total 10 members
- 4 members in Governor General’s Council
- 1 Chief Justice
- 1 Judge of Supreme Court
- 4 representatives of Bengal, Madras, Bombay and North West Provinces
Indian Councils Act 1861 → Max 17 Members
- 5 members in Governor General’s Council
- 12 additional members (max-12, minimum-6)
Indian Councils Act 1892 → Max 22 members
- 6 members in Governor General’s Council
- max 16 additional members
Indian Councils Act 1909 → Max 69 Members
- 9 members in Governor’s Council
- 60 Additional Members
Government of India Act 1919 → Bicameral Legislature with 205 members
- 60 members in Council of State
- 145 Members in Central Legislative Assembly
Government of India Act 1935 → Total 635 members
- 260 members in Council of State
- 375 Members in Federal Assembly
Constitution of India Act (Current strength) → Total 802 MPs
- 250 members (maximum sanctioned strength) in Rajya Sabha
- 552 members (maximum sanctioned strength) in Lok Sabha