In this article, we discuss charter act 1833 for various competitive exams such as UPSC, SSC, etc... This act is also known as the Saint Helena act 1833.
The Charter Act of 1833 abolished all monopolies of the British East India Company. Due to the end of the company's trade monopoly, the commercial activities of the company were also ended.
Now the company only handled the political activities which were handled by the Court of Directors and the Board of Control. The East India Company had now become a purely administrative body.
The Charter Act of 1833 made the Governor-General of Bengal to the Governor-General of India. The first Governor-General of India was Lord William Bentick.
The authority of the Governor-General was established over the entire British Indian Territories.
Another member was added to the governor general's council. Now the number of members in executive councils has increased to 4.
The fourth member of the executive council is Law Member. The first law member in executive council is Lord Macaulay.
This member used to help the executive council members and the governor-general in law making.
The provincial legislature was abolished in this act. Now all the British Indian Territories were governed by the Law of Governor-General and his council.
After the Charter Act of 1833, a lot of Britishers came to India. After the Governor-General and his council made the law, he used to go to the British Parliament to pass it.
All the laws that were made before the Charter Act 1833 were called Regulations and all the laws made after that were called Acts.
Now we discuss why the charter act of 1833 is also called as Saint Helena act of 1833.
Saint Helena is a very small island between Africa and South America. Earlier travel was done by ship between Asia and Europe.
St. Helena Island used to fall in the middle of this route, so the ships first went to Saint Helena and then continued the further journey.
Saint Helena Island was first discovered by the Portuguese, but in 1659 Britain took it over.
It was again captured by the Dutch in 1673. In 1773, Britain recaptured it and Charles II of Britain gave the rights to live here to the East India Company.
In 1815, the British kept Napoleon imprisoned on the island of Saint Helena. Napoleon died on this island in 1821.
The Charter Act of 1833 took back St. Helena Island from the British East India Company, hence it is also called the St. Helena Act 1833.
This act introduced the Law Commission in India for the first time.
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