Governor-General of India

The Governor-General of India (or, from 1858 to 1947, the Viceroy and Governor-General
of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian
independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was
created in 177, with the title of !overnor"!eneral of the #residenc$ of %ort &illiam. The officer
had direct control onl$ over %ort &illiam, '(t s(pervised other British )ast India *ompan$
officials in India. *omplete a(thorit$ over all of British India was +ranted in 18, and the
official 'ecame ,nown as the !overnor"!eneral of India.
In 1858, the territories of the )ast India *ompan$ came (nder the direct control of the British
*rown. The !overnor"!eneral headed the central !overnment of India which administered the
#rovinces of British India, incl(din+ the #(n-a', Ben+al, Bom'a$, .adras, the /nited #rovinces,
and others.
011
2owever, m(ch of India was not r(led directl$ '$ the British +overnment3 o(tside
the provinces of British India there were h(ndreds of nominall$ soverei+n princel$ states or
4native states4, whose relationship was not with the British +overnment, '(t directl$ with the
monarch. To reflect the !overnor"!eneral5s role as the representative of the monarch to the
fe(dal r(lers of the princel$ states, from 1858 the term Viceroy and Governor-General of India
(,nown in short as the 6icero$ of India) was applied to him.
The title of 6icero$ was a'andoned when India and #a,istan +ained their independence in 1947,
'(t the office of !overnor"!eneral contin(ed to e7ist in 'oth new dominions (ntil the$ adopted
rep('lican constit(tions in 1958 and 1959 respectivel$.
/ntil 1858, the !overnor"!eneral was selected '$ the *o(rt of :irectors of the )ast India
*ompan$, to whom he was responsi'le. Thereafter, he was appointed '$ the ;overei+n on the
advice of the British +overnment< the ;ecretar$ of ;tate for India, a mem'er of the /= *a'inet,
was responsi'le for instr(ctin+ him on the e7ercise of his powers. >fter 1947, the ;overei+n
contin(ed to appoint the !overnor"!eneral, '(t did so on the advice of the Indian +overnment,
rather than the British one.
!overnors"!eneral served five"$ear terms, '(t co(ld 'e removed earlier. >fter the concl(sion of
a term, a provisional !overnor"!eneral was sometimes appointed (ntil a new holder of the office
co(ld 'e chosen. #rovisional !overnors"!eneral were often chosen from amon+ the provincial
!overnors.
.an$ parts of India were +overned '$ the )ast India *ompan$, which nominall$ acted as the
a+ent of the .(+hal )mperor. In 177, motivated '$ corr(ption in the *ompan$, the British
+overnment ass(med partial control over the +overnance of India with the passa+e of the
?e+(latin+ >ct. > !overnor"!eneral and *o(ncil were appointed to r(le over the #residenc$ of
%ort &illiam in Ben+al. The first !overnor"!eneral and *o(ncil were named in the >ct< their
s(ccessors were to 'e elected '$ the )ast India *ompan$5s *o(rt of :irectors. The >ct provided
for a five"$ear term for the !overnor"!eneral and *o(ncil, '(t the ;overei+n had the power to
remove an$ of them.
0citation needed1
The *harter >ct, 18 replaced the !overnor"!eneral and *o(ncil of %ort &illiam with the
!overnor"!eneral and *o(ncil of India. The power to elect the !overnor"!eneral was retained
'$ the *o(rt of :irectors, '(t the choice 'ecame s('-ect to the ;overei+n5s approval.
>fter the Indian ?e'ellion of 1857, the )ast India *ompan$ was a'olished, and its territories in
India were p(t (nder the direct control of the ;overei+n. The !overnment of India >ct 1858
vested the power to appoint the !overnor"!eneral in the ;overei+n. The !overnor"!eneral, in
t(rn, had the power to appoint all lie(tenant +overnors in India, s('-ect to the ;overei+n5s
approval.
India and #a,istan ac@(ired independence in 1947, '(t !overnors"!eneral contin(ed to 'e
appointed over each nation (ntil rep('lican constit(tions were written. Ao(is .o(nt'atten, 1st
)arl .o(nt'atten of B(rma remained !overnor"!eneral of India for some time after
independence, '(t the two nations were otherwise headed '$ native !overnors"!eneral. India
'ecame a sec(lar rep('lic in 1958< #a,istan 'ecame an Islamic one in 1959.
Functions
The !overnor"!eneral ori+inall$ had power onl$ over the #residenc$ of %ort &illiam in Ben+al.
The ?e+(latin+ >ct, however, +ranted them additional powers relatin+ to forei+n affairs and
defence. The other #residencies of the )ast India *ompan$ (.adras, Bom'a$ and Bencoolen)
were neither allowed to declare war on nor ma,e peace with an Indian prince witho(t receivin+
the prior approval of the !overnor"!eneral and *o(ncil of %ort &illiam.
0citation needed1
The powers of the !overnor"!eneral in respect of forei+n affairs were increased '$ the India >ct
1784. The >ct provided that the other !overnors (nder the )ast India *ompan$ co(ld not
declare war, ma,e peace or concl(de a treat$ with an Indian prince (nless e7pressl$ directed to
do so '$ the !overnor"!eneral, or '$ the *ompan$5s *o(rt of :irectors.
&hile the !overnor"!eneral th(s 'ecame the controller of forei+n polic$ in India, he was not the
e7plicit head of British India. This stat(s onl$ came with the *harter >ct 18, which +ranted
him 4s(perintendence, direction and control of the whole civil and militar$ !overnment4 of all of
British India. The >ct also +ranted le+islative powers to the !overnor"!eneral and *o(ncil.
>fter 1858, the !overnor"!eneral f(nctioned as the chief administrator of India and as the
;overei+n5s representative. India was divided into n(mero(s provinces, each (nder the head of a
!overnor, Aie(tenant !overnor or *hief *ommissioner or >dministrator. !overnors were
appointed '$ the British +overnment, to whom the$ were directl$ responsi'le< Aie(tenant
!overnors, *hief *ommissioners, and >dministrators, however, were appointed '$ and were
s('ordinate to the !overnor"!eneral. The !overnor"!eneral also oversaw the most powerf(l
princel$ r(lers3 the BiCam of 2$dera'ad, the .ahara-a of .$sore, the .ahara-a(;cindia) of
!walior, the .ahara-a of Damm( and =ashmir and the !ae,wad (!ae,war) .ahara-a of Baroda.
The remainin+ princel$ r(lers were overseen either '$ the ?a-p(tana >+enc$ and *entral India
>+enc$ (which were headed '$ representatives of the !overnor"!eneral), or '$ provincial
a(thorities.
Ence India ac@(ired independence, however, the !overnor"!eneral5s role 'ecame almost entirel$
ceremonial, with power 'ein+ e7ercised on a da$"to"da$ 'asis '$ the Indian ca'inet. >fter the
nation 'ecame a rep('lic, the non"e7ec(tive #resident of India contin(ed to perform the same
f(nctions.
Council
Main article: Council of India
The !overnor"!eneral was alwa$s advised '$ a *o(ncil on the e7ercise of his le+islative and
e7ec(tive powers. The !overnor"!eneral, while e7ercisin+ man$ f(nctions, was referred to as
the 4!overnor"!eneral in *o(ncil.4
The ?e+(latin+ >ct 177 provided for the election of fo(r co(nsellors '$ the )ast India
*ompan$5s *o(rt of :irectors. The !overnor"!eneral had a vote alon+ with the co(nsellors, '(t
he also had an additional vote to 'rea, ties. The decision of the *o(ncil was 'indin+ on the
!overnor"!eneral.
In 1784, the *o(ncil was red(ced to three mem'ers< the !overnor"!eneral contin(ed to have
'oth an ordinar$ vote and a castin+ vote. In 1789, the power of the !overnor"!eneral was
increased even f(rther, as *o(ncil decisions ceased to 'e 'indin+.
The *harter >ct 18 made f(rther chan+es to the str(ct(re of the *o(ncil. The >ct was the first
law to distin+(ish 'etween the e7ec(tive and le+islative responsi'ilities of the !overnor"!eneral.
>s provided (nder the >ct, there were to 'e fo(r mem'ers of the *o(ncil elected '$ the *o(rt of
:irectors. The first three mem'ers were permitted to participate on all occasions, '(t the fo(rth
mem'er was onl$ allowed to sit and vote when le+islation was 'ein+ de'ated.
In 1858, the *o(rt of :irectors ceased to have the power to elect mem'ers of the *o(ncil.
Instead, the one mem'er who had a vote onl$ on le+islative @(estions came to 'e appointed '$
the ;overei+n, and the other three mem'ers '$ the ;ecretar$ of ;tate for India.
The Indian *o(ncils >ct 1891 made several chan+es to the *o(ncil5s composition. Three
mem'ers were to 'e appointed '$ the ;ecretar$ of ;tate for India, and two '$ the ;overei+n.
(The power to appoint all five mem'ers passed to the *rown in 1899.) The !overnor"!eneral
was empowered to appoint an additional si7 to twelve mem'ers (chan+ed to ten to si7teen in
189F, and to si7t$ in 1989). The five individ(als appointed '$ the Indian ;ecretar$ or ;overei+n
headed the e7ec(tive departments, while those appointed '$ the !overnor"!eneral de'ated and
voted on le+islation.
In 1919, an Indian le+islat(re, consistin+ of a *o(ncil of ;tate and a Ae+islative >ssem'l$, too,
over the le+islative f(nctions of the !overnor"!eneral5s *o(ncil. The !overnor"!eneral
nonetheless retained si+nificant power over le+islation. 2e co(ld a(thoriCe the e7pendit(re of
mone$ witho(t the Ae+islat(re5s consent for 4ecclesiastical, political 0and1 defense4 p(rposes,
and for an$ p(rpose d(rin+ 4emer+encies.4 2e was permitted to veto, or even stop de'ate on, an$
'ill. If he recommended the passa+e of a 'ill, '(t onl$ one cham'er cooperated, he co(ld declare
the 'ill passed over the o'-ections of the other cham'er. The Ae+islat(re had no a(thorit$ over
forei+n affairs and defense. The #resident of the *o(ncil of ;tate was appointed '$ the
!overnor"!eneral< the Ae+islative >ssem'l$ elected its #resident, '(t the election re@(ired the
!overnor"!eneral5s approval.
Style and title
*. ?a-a+opalachari, the last !overnor"!eneral of India at his des,,:elhi, 1948
The !overnor"!eneral (incl(din+ when he was 6icero$ from 1858 to 1947) (sed the st$le
Excellency and en-o$ed precedence over all other +overnment officials in India. 2e wo(ld 'e
referred to as 52is )7cellenc$5 and addressed as 5Go(r )7cellenc$5. %rom 1858 to 1947,
!overnors"!eneral were ,nown as 46icero$s4 (from the %rench roi, meanin+ 4,in+4). &ives of
6icero$s were ,nown as 6icereines (from the %rench reine, meanin+ 4@(een4). The 6icereine
wo(ld 'e referred to as 52er )7cellenc$5 and wo(ld also 'e addressed as 5Go(r )7cellenc$5.
Beither title was emplo$ed while the ;overei+n was in India.
&hen the Erder of the ;tar of India was fo(nded in 1891, the 6icero$ was made its !rand
.aster ex officio. The 6icero$ was also made the ex officio !rand .aster of the Erder of the
Indian )mpire (pon its fo(ndation in 1877.
.ost !overnors"!eneral and 6icero$s were peers. Ef those that were not, ;ir Dohn ;hore was a
'aronet, and Aord &illiam Bentinc, was entitled to the co(rtes$ title 4Aord4 'eca(se he was the
son of a :(,e. Enl$ the first and last !overnors"!eneral H &arren 2astin+s and *ha,ravarti
?a-a+opalachari H as well as some provisional !overnors"!eneral, had no special titles at all.
Flag
%rom aro(nd 1885, the !overnor"!eneral was allowed to fl$ a /nion %la+ a(+mented in the
centre with the 4;tar of India4 s(rmo(nted '$ a *rown. This fla+ was not the !overnor"!eneral5s
personal fla+< it was also (sed '$ !overnors, Aie(tenant !overnors, *hief *ommissioners and
other British officers in India. &hen at sea, onl$ the !overnor"!eneral flew the fla+ from the
mainmast, while other officials flew it from the foremast.
%rom 1947 to 1958, the !overnor"!eneral of India (sed a dar, 'l(e fla+ 'earin+ the ro$al crest
(a lion standin+ on a crown), 'eneath which was the word 4India4 in +old ma-(sc(les. The same
desi+n is still (sed '$ man$ other !overnors"!eneral. This last fla+ was the personal fla+ of the
!overnor"!eneral onl$.
Residence
!overnment 2o(se served as the !overnor"!eneral5s residence d(rin+ most of the nineteenth
cent(r$.
The !overnor"!eneral of %ort &illiam resided in Belvedere 2o(se, *alc(tta (ntil the earl$
nineteenth cent(r$, when !overnment 2o(se was constr(cted. In 1854, the Aie(tenant !overnor
of Ben+al too, (p residence there. Bow, the Belvedere )state ho(ses the Bational Ai'rar$ of
India.
?ichard &ellesle$, 1st .ar@(ess &ellesle$, who is rep(ted to have said that 4India sho(ld 'e
+overned from a palace, not from a co(ntr$ ho(se,4 constr(cted a +rand mansion, ,nown as
!overnment 2o(se, 'etween 1799 and 188. The mansion remained in (se (ntil the capital
moved from *alc(tta to :elhi in 191F. Thereafter, the Aie(tenant !overnor of Ben+al, who had
hitherto resided in Belvedere 2o(se, was (p+raded to a f(ll !overnor and transferred to
!overnment 2o(se. Bow, it serves as the residence of the !overnor of the Indian state of &est
Ben+al, and is referred to '$ its 2indi name ?a- Bhavan.
>fter the capital moved from *alc(tta to :elhi, the 6icero$ occ(pied a newl$"'(ilt 6icero$5s
2o(se, desi+ned '$ ;ir )dwin A(t$ens. Tho(+h constr(ction 'e+an in 191F, it did not concl(de
(ntil 19F9< the home was not formall$ ina(+(rated (ntil 191. The final cost e7ceeded I877,888
(over I5,888,888 in modern terms) H more than twice the fi+(re ori+inall$ allocated. Toda$ the
residence, now ,nown '$ the 2indi name of 4?ashtrapati Bhavan,4 is (sed '$ the #resident of
India.
Thro(+ho(t the British administration, !overnors"!eneral retreated to the 6icere+al Aod+e (see
Rashtrapati Niwas) at ;himla each s(mmer to escape the heat, and the +overnment of India
moved with them. The 6icere+al Aod+e now ho(ses the Indian Instit(te of >dvanced ;t(d$
List of Governors-General of India
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The Governor-General of India (or, from 1858 to 1947, the Viceroy and Governor-General
of India) was the head of the British administration in India.
The office was created in 177, with the title of !overnor"!eneral of the #residenc$ of %ort
&illiam.
The title of 6icero$ was a'andoned when India and #a,istan +ained their independence in 1947,
'(t the office of !overnor"!eneral contin(ed to e7ist in 'oth new dominions (ntil the$ adopted
rep('lican constit(tions in 1958 and 1959 respectivel$.
List of Governors-General
[edit] Governors of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), !!"#$%%
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