Charter Act 1833

Introduction
The Government of India Act 1833 or the Charter Act 1833 was an act of the British Parliament, later renamed the St Helena Act 1833. This extended the charter granted to the East India Company for another 20 years. Reorganized the British Indian government.

Features of the Charter Act of 1833

• The company's commercial activities ended. It became the administrative body of British Indian property.
• Trade relations with China were also suspended.
• This act allowed British citizens to settle freely in India.
• This Act legalized British colonization.
• The company still possessed the Indian territories, but it was held 'in trust for his majesty'.

Provision of the Charter Act 1833

India became a British colony

• Governor-General of Bengal, renamed Governor-General of India. This made Sir William Bentinck the first Governor General of India.
• In this way, the administration of the country was unified under one administration.
• Governors of Bombay and Madras lose legislative power.
• The governor-general had legislative power over all of British India.
• The Governor-General of the Council has the power to change, repeal or amend laws affecting all persons and places within the British Indian Territory, whether British, foreigners or Indians. Rice field.
• The civil and military affairs of the Company were administered by the Governor-General of the Council.
• The Governor's Council needs him to have 4 members. A fourth member had limited powers.
• For the first time, the Government of the Governor-General was called the Government of India and the Council was called the Council of India

Indian Law Commission

• This Act mandated that all laws enacted in India be submitted to the British Parliament and called 'Acts'.
• The Indian Judiciary Commission was established by law.
• The first Judiciary Committee was chaired by Lord Macaulay.

Division of the President of Bengal
The law provided for the division of the President of Bengal between the Presidents of Agra and Fort William.
However, this never took effect.

Indians in Government Services

• This was the first law allowing Indians to participate in the administration of the country.
• It stated that merit, not birth, colour, religion, or race, should be the basis for the employment of civil servants.
   

Abolition of Slavery

• This ensured the decline of the slavery that existed in British India.
• The governor-general appointed by the Council was ordered to take some action to end the slavery that lived in British India.
• The 5th Act of 1843 abolished slavery in India.

Christian Tendencies

• As the number of British people living in the country increased, the law allowed India to have three bishops.
• It also sought to regulate the establishment of Christian institutions in India.

Significance of the Charter Act of 1833:

• This was the final stage in the centralization of Indian administration.
• The Charter Act of 1833 was implemented in response to several important changes that occurred in England as a result of the Industrial Revolution.
• Laissez-faire was accepted as the government's attitude towards industry.
• The liberal movement was the result of the Reform Act of 1832.
• During the Charter Act of 1833, the atmosphere around Britain called for liberal thought and reform.
• By agreement with Lord Macaulay, control of the company continued on various foundations.
• When the Whigs were in power, the bill was introduced to Congress, and Congress was in a mood to support the codification of legislation and reform of the retail trade.
• The Charter Act of 1833 was postponed on several recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry. All milestones in the legal history of all regions of India can be identified through this survey.

Conclusion
One can be persuaded to conclude that the main purpose of the Charter Act of 1833 was to completely abolish all trade and to allow Europeans to settle freely in India. The Charter Act of 1833 was the most important law implemented by the British government to expand the administration in India. It had an impact. With the continuation of the Charter Act of 1833, the British Crown gradually took control of the administration of India with the help of the East India Company.

Written By: Joyleen Meki, A 2nd-year student of BA.LLB studying at Lovely Professional University, Punjab.