Discuss the major defects of the Regulating Act of 1773.

The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first action of British Government to regulate the affairs in India. The Act made a number of changes and brought in a system of checks and balances, but the system had many draw-backs. For example, the Governor General was made answerable and responsible for all his acts but he was bound by the majority decisions of his council.

This meant that the decisions taken by the council but the Governor-General alone was answerable for them. The Governors were made subordinate to the Governor-General, but they were free to act independently.

The Directors of the East India Company followed a policy based on personal considerations and did not supply all official correspondence, which was asked by the Government. The Supreme Court was established without specifying the final authority in case of a conflict between it and the Supreme Council. The Court could refuse to register the resolutions passed by the Council.