CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY - EAST INDIA COMPANY

POINTS TO REMEMBER

1. The East India Company Rule - 1600-1858

2. British came to India in 1600 as a trader in the form of East India Company

3. 1765 - Diwani Right - The company got over Bengal, Bihar and Orrisa for the revenue and civil justice.

4. This marked the beginning of its career as a territorial power.

5. On 1858 - Sepoy mutiny - The British crown assumed direct       responsibility for the governance of India. 

6. The Governor-general was made as the Viceroy.

7. The EIC was an intermediate but after 1858, the Crown directly took the Control over India.

8.  British rule - Continued till August 15, 1947 .

9. The Constitution was first suggested by MN Roy ( a pioneer of communist movement in India) in 1934 and also to form a constituent assembly.

10. Constituent Assembly was formed for this purpose in 1946.

11. On 26 November 1949, the constitution was not completely        implemented, it was on 26th January 1950 when the constitution was wholly implemented.

Notes

THE EAST INDIA COMPANY

• The English East India Company came to India as a trading body in 1601.
• Queen Elizabeth granted a Charter in 1600 to the company for the purpose of trade in India and East Indies.
• The Charter of 1600 empowered the company " to make law, ordinance etc, for the good government of the company and its servants and to punish offences against them by fire or imprisonment according of laws, statutes and customs of the realm".
• This Charter was not intended to control any territorial acquisition by the company in India.
• James I granted a new charter in 1609 to the company which continued its privileges. 
• Subsequent charters were granted to the company in 1615,1623 and 1635.

NEW ERA

• The East India Company entered into a new era in 1660 when the company regained its prosperity and changed its character from a purely trading concern to a territorial power.
• In 1661, Charles I granted a new Charter to the company. It recognized the company's structure and authorized the company to appoint Governors and other officers for the proper control and administration of the factories and trading centers.
• They were also empowered to administer civil and criminal justice with respect to persons employed under them.

FURTHER EMPOWERMENT

• From 1668 to 1726, various charters were granted to the company from time to time in order to empower the company to deal with new situations and to control its employees in India.
• The charter of 1726 reorganized the municipal and judicial institutions at Calcutta (Kolkata), Bombay (Mumbai) and Madras (Chennai).
• At these three Presidency towns, Mayor's courts were established to administer justice.
• The charter of 1753 reconstituted the Mayor's court at the three presidency towns.
• The Battle of Plassey in 1757 and the Battle of Buxar in 1764 gave rise to serious political consequences.
• In 1765, the Mughal Emperor granted diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the East India Company.
• In 1772, Warren Hasting was transferred from Madras to the governorship of Calcutta .
• He strengthened the political power of the company and laid a strong foundation for the British Empire in India.

MALADMINISTRATION 

• The maladministration of the company's internal administration led to the growth of competition in the employees of the company and other evils also followed.
• The company was also faced with financial difficulties.
• The British parliament, therefore appointed a select committee and a secret committee to make intensive study of the company's affairs.
• On the findings and reports of the committee, the British parliament passed the famous Regulating Act,1773.