Which one of the following Acts of British India strengthened the Viceroy's authority over his executive council by substituting 'portfolio' or 'departmental' system for corporate functioning ?

The correct answer is A) Indian Council Act, 1861. Before 1861, the Governor-General's Council worked on a corporate basis, where all members shared responsibility for decisions. The Act empowered the Viceroy to make rules and orders for the convenient transaction of business and to distribute work among members. This gave rise to the portfolio system, which was introduced under Lord Canning. Each member was assigned a department, and the Viceroy's authority over the council grew correspondingly.

• B) Government of India Act, 1858: This Act ended Company rule and transferred power to the Crown. It created the office of Secretary of State for India and the Council of India. It did not change how the Viceroy's executive council functioned.
• C) Indian Council Act, 1892: This Act increased the number of additional members and allowed discussion of the budget. It did not introduce portfolios.
• D) Indian Council Act, 1909 (Morley-Minto): This Act brought in separate electorates for Muslims and gave Indians a place in the councils, including S.P. Sinha in the Viceroy's council. Its focus was representation, not the internal departmental structure.

For Mains, this is a useful case of how the colonial executive became more centralised under the Viceroy, which is relevant to the evolution of governance and constitutional development.

Trap: Many aspirants pick 1858 because it is the major restructuring Act, or 1909 because it is the best-known reform Act. The question asks specifically about the internal working of the executive council, which is a 1861 change.