Q1. Which of the following best explains the constitutional significance of the Regulating Act of 1773?
- It introduced parliamentary democracy in India.
- It was the first attempt by the British Parliament to control Indian administration through legislation.
- It decentralized legislative power to Indian provinces.
- It created a bicameral legislature in India.
Correct Option: 2. It was the first attempt by the British Parliament to control Indian administration through legislation.
Explanation: The Regulating Act of 1773 marked the first time the British Parliament intervened to regulate the political and administrative functions of the East India Company, thus asserting parliamentary supremacy over colonial matters.
Q2. The creation of the Board of Control under Pitt’s India Act of 1784 represents which of the following principles?
- Judicial independence
- Executive dualism
- Parliamentary accountability
- Commercial decentralization
Correct Option: 3. Parliamentary accountability.
Explanation: The Board of Control was directly responsible to the British Parliament, unlike the Court of Directors, making this the first step toward parliamentary accountability in the governance of Indian affairs.
Q3. The Amending Act of 1781 exempted which of the following from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court at Calcutta?
- Governors of Bombay and Madras
- All inhabitants of Calcutta
- Personal laws of Hindus and Muslims
- Company officials acting in their official capacity
Correct Option: 4. Company officials acting in their official capacity.
Explanation: The 1781 Act clarified that Company servants, including the Governor-General and Council, when acting in their official capacities, were exempt from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, resolving previous administrative-judicial conflicts.
Q4. The distinction between legislative and executive functions within the Governor-General’s Council was established by:
- Charter Act of 1813
- Charter Act of 1833
- Charter Act of 1853
- Pitt’s India Act, 1784
Correct Option: 3. Charter Act of 1853.
Explanation: The Charter Act of 1853 was the first to formally separate legislative and executive functions, creating a legislative council within the Governor-General’s Council—functioning like a “mini Parliament.”
Q5. The assertion of British Crown sovereignty over Indian territories was made explicitly for the first time in which Act?
- Regulating Act, 1773
- Charter Act, 1813
- Charter Act, 1833
- Act of 1786
Correct Option: 2. Charter Act, 1813.
Explanation: The Charter Act of 1813 explicitly stated that Indian territories were under the sovereignty of the British Crown, ending the illusion that the Company governed India solely for commercial purposes.