द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

INTRODUCTION 19
The grant of the Dewani meant that the entire revenue and
financial administration of these areas passed into the hands
of the Company. Thus the East India Company, while being
a trading concern, became an administrative body as well.
During the course of the next few years, there were complaints
about the corruption and maladministration of the Company's
officials. In 1773, therefore, an Act was passed, called Lord
North's Regulation Act which provided for governmental
control over the policy and administration of the East India
Company. The principal administrative change introduced
with the passing of the Act was that the three Presidencies of
Bengal, Bombay and Madras, which had been independent
of one another, were brought under a Governor-General who
with the help of four councillors was to rule over all the
territories, his headquarters being in Bengal. There were
manifold defects in the new system introduced and in addition
to that, there were serious complaints of corruption against
the administration of the Governor-General, Warren Hast-
ings. After some time, therefore, another Act called Pitt's
India Act was passed in 1784 which provided for a Board of
Control. There were cabinet ministers on this board and the
entire operations of the East India Company were brought
under its control. The appointment of a Board of Control,
composed partly of cabinet ministers, eventually led to the
establishment of the supremacy of the British Parliament
over India.
The East India Company had to renew its charter from
time to time. The Charter Act of 1833 introduced a remark-
able change in the status and function of the Company.
With the passing of this Act, the East India Company ceased
to exist as a trading concern and became a purely political
and administrative body, governing India on behalf of the
British Crown. According to the provisions of the Act, the
direction of the entire civil and military administration and
the sole power of legislation were vested in the Governor-
General in Council. Twenty years later, that is 1853, when
the Charter Act was renewed, the control of the Government
over the Company was further strengthened. The Act required
that one-third of the members of the Court of Directors of