A British law that made the Governor-General of Bengal the Governor-General of India with full legislative and administrative authority over all of British India, marking the final step in centralisation.
- Made the Governor-General of Bengal the Governor-General of India; Lord William Bentinck was the first Governor-General of India.
- Centralised legislation: the Governments of Bombay and Madras lost their legislative powers, which were vested solely in the Governor-General of India in Council.
- Ended the East India Company's commercial activities entirely, turning it into a purely administrative body holding Indian territories "in trust" for the Crown.
- Provided that no Indian be debarred from office under the Company on grounds of religion, birth, descent, or colour (a notable, if largely unimplemented, statement of principle).
- Provided for adding a Law Member (Lord Macaulay was the first) to the Governor-General's Council and for a Law Commission to codify Indian laws.
The creation of the Governor-General of India (Bentinck first), the end of Company trade, and the Macaulay Law Member appointment are high-frequency objective facts.
The 1833 Act created the Governor-General of India (Bentinck); the 1773 Act had created only the Governor-General of Bengal (Hastings).
1833: Governor-General of India (Bentinck first), centralised legislation, ended Company trade, Macaulay as first Law Member.