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Long title | An Act for continuing in the East India Company for a further Term the Possession of the British Territories in India, together with their exclusive Trade under certain Limitations; for establishing further Regulations for the Government of the said Territories, and the better Administration of Justice within the same; for appropriating to certain Uses the Revenues and Profits of the said Company, and for making Provision for the good Order and Government of the Towns of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay. |
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Citation | 33 Geo. 3. c. 52 |
Territorial extent | Great Britain |
Dates | |
Royal assent | 11 June 1793 |
Commencement | 11 June 1793 [b] |
Repealed | 1 January 1916 |
Other legislation | |
Repeals/revokes | |
Amended by | |
Repealed by | Government of India Act 1915 |
Relates to | |
Status: Repealed | |
Text of statute as originally enacted |
The East India Company Act 1793 [a] (33 Geo. 3. c. 52), also known as the Charter Act 1793, was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which renewed the Charter issued to the British East India Company (EIC). The veto which was originally given to Lord Cornwallis was continued for all the Governors-General. Bombay and Madras presidency were kept under superintendence of Fort William.
In contrast with legislation concerning British India proposed in the preceding two decades, the 1793 Act "passed with minimal trouble". [1] The Act made only fairly minimal changes to either the system of government in India or British oversight of the company's activities. Most importantly, the company's trade monopoly was continued for a further 20 years. Salaries and pensions for the staff, paid members of the Board of Control, and others involved in Indian administration were now charged to the Company, to be paid from Indian revenues, since they were regarded as government officials rather than mere merchants. Private trade with China was permitted under the name "country trade", which allowed the Company to avoid direct responsibility for illegal trading of opium. Other provisions of the Act included:
The company's charter was next renewed by the Charter Act 1813.
The whole act was repealed by section 130 of, and the fourth schedule to, the Government of India Act 1915 (5 & 6 Geo. 5. c. 61)