The Charter Act of 1833

● The lease of 20 years to the Company was further extended. Territories of India were to be governed in the name of the Crown.

● The Company’s monopoly over trade with China and in tea also ended.

● All restrictions on European immigration and the acquisition of property in India were lifted. Thus, the way was paved for the wholesale European colonisation of India.

● In India, a financial, legislative and administrative centralisation of the government was envisaged:

— The governor-general was given the power to superintend, control and direct all civil and military affairs of the Company.

— Bengal, Madras, Bombay and all other territories were placed under complete control of the governor-general.

— All revenues were to be raised under the authority of the governor-general who would have complete control over the expenditure too.

— The Governments of Madras and Bombay were drastically deprived of their legislative powers and left with a right of proposing to the governor-general the projects of law which they thought to be expedient.

● A law member was added to the governor-general’s council for professional advice on law-making.

● Indian laws were to be codified and consolidated.

● No Indian citizen was to be denied employment under the Company on the basis of religion, colour, birth, descent, etc. (Although the reality was different, this declaration formed the sheet-anchor of political agitation in India.)

● The administration was urged to take steps to ameliorate the conditions of slaves and to ultimately abolish slavery. (Slavery was abolished in 1843.)