TheCouncil of India (1858 – 1935) was an advisory body to theSecretary of State for India, established in 1858 by theGovernment of India Act 1858. It was based inLondon and initially consisted of 15 members.[1] The Council of India was dissolved in 1935 by theGovernment of India Act 1935.[2] It is different from theViceroy's Executive Council based in India, which was the advisory body and cabinet of the Governor-General of India/Viceroy, which was originally established in 1773 as theCouncil of Four.
In 1858 the company's involvement in India's government was transferred by theGovernment of India Act 1858 to theBritish government.[3] The act created a new governmental department inLondon, theIndia Office, headed by thecabinet-rankingSecretary of State for India, who was in turn to be advised by a new Council of India (also based in London).
This new council of India, which assisted the Secretary of State for India contained 15 members.[4]
The Council of the Secretary of State, also known as the India Council was based inWhitehall. In 1907, two Indians, SirKrishna Govinda Gupta and NawabSyed Hussain Bilgrami, were appointed byLord Morley as members of the council. Bilgrami retired early in 1910 owing to ill-health and his place was taken by Mirza Abbas Ali Baig.[5][6] Other members included Raja Sir Daljit Singh (1915–1917),C. Rajagopalachari (1923–1925),Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana (1924–1934) andSir Abdul Qadir
The Secretary of State's Council of India was abolished by theGovernment of India Act 1935.
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| Term start | Term end | Names | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | November 1902 | Right Hon. SirAlfred Comyn Lyall, GCIE, KCB, PC | 1835 | 1911 | |
| 1888 | November 1902 | SirJames Braithwaite Peile, KCSI | 1833 | 1906 | |
| 1897 | 1907 | General SirJohn James Hood Gordon, GCB[7] | 1832 | 1908 | |
| 1900 | March 1907 | General SirAlexander Robert Badcock, KCB, CSI | 1844 | 1907 | |
| November 1902[8] | SirAntony Patrick MacDonnell, GCSI, PC | 1844 | 1925 | Lieutenant Governor of Bengal 1893–1895 Lieutenant Governor of United Provinces 1895–1901 | |
| November 1902[8] | 1910 | SirWilliam Lee-Warner, GCSI | 1846 | 1914 |