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CHAPTER VI.

THE LEGISLATURES OF INDIA UNDER THE CROWN,
Delegation of legislative power.
The legislative power of the Government of
India is vested in the Governor-General in Council ;
but the meetings for the purposes of making laws
and regulations are strengthened by the appointment
of Additional Members of Council whose functions are
limited to legislation,
Similar provisions apply to the subordinate legislatures
 of Madras and Bombay. These Governments
first obtained legislative powers in 1800 and 1807, but
they were withdrawn in 1833 (3 and 4, William IV,
Cap. 85), and were not again conferred until 1861.
The Indian Councils Act, 1861, Section 44,
empowered the Indian Government to confer certain
legislative powers upon the Lieutenant-Governors of
Bengal, the North-Western Provinces, and the Punjab,
respectively ; the number of Councillors for the purpose
 of making laws and regulations being fixed in
the proclamation. In 1862 such a Council was formed
for Bengal, but hitherto the privilege has been denied
to the other provinces.

A somewhat peculiar legislative power, to be
exercised otherwise than at meetings of Council for
the purpose of making laws and regulations, was
introduced in 1870, by Statute 33 Vic,, Cap. 3. This
Act empowered every Governor of a Presidency in