Warren Hastings and the foundations of company rule in India

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Picture Courtesy: India Times

Context:

During Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial (2021), one of the key defences was “A former president can’t be impeached after leaving office.” To counter this, U.S. lawmakers reached back over 230 years to the impeachment of Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of British India.

Warren Hasting:

Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General of Bengal and is widely regarded as one of the key architects of early British administration in India.

• Served as Governor of Bengal (1772–1774)
• Became Governor-General (1774–1785) under the British East India Company
• Played a decisive role in consolidating Company authority and restructuring governance

His tenure marked the transition of the Company from a trading body to a territorial power with structured administration.

Why was Hastings impeached?

After returning to Britain in 1785, Hastings faced serious political opposition.

In 1786, impeachment proceedings were launched in the House of Commons. The charges broadly revolved around:

• Alleged corruption and personal enrichment
• Harsh revenue practices in India
• Abuse of power and mistreatment of Indian rulers and subjects
• Administrative misconduct

The impeachment was spearheaded by Edmund Burke, a prominent parliamentarian and political thinker, who argued that British officials in India must be held to universal moral and legal standards.

Initially, Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger appeared sympathetic to Hastings, but later supported aspects of the prosecution.

Outcome of the impeachment

The trial was held before the House of Lords and lasted from 1788 to 1795, making it one of the longest trials in British history.

• Hastings was acquitted in 1795
• Despite the verdict, the proceedings deeply damaged his reputation
• The trial intensified scrutiny of the East India Company’s governance in India

Burke famously warned that the acquittal would remain a moral stain on Britain’s conscience.

Reforms under Warren Hastings:

Abolition of the Dual system: Hastings ended the arrangement created by Robert Clive, where the Company collected revenue while Indian officials handled administration. He brought both revenue and civil authority directly under Company control.

Judicial reorganisation: He introduced a more structured legal system:

• District-level civil and criminal courts were set up
• Two appellate courts were established in Calcutta:
• Sadar Diwani Adalat (civil cases)
• Sadar Nizamat Adalat (criminal cases)

Curbing abuse of trade privileges: Hastings abolished the misuse of dastaks (free trade passes) that Company officials had exploited for private gain.

Administrative centralisation: He strengthened district administration, improved revenue collection mechanisms, and increased oversight of Company servants.

Important acts during his tenure:

Regulating Act of 1773

• First major attempt by the British Parliament to control the East India Company
• Created the office of Governor-General of Bengal
• Established a Supreme Court at Calcutta

Pitt's India Act 1784

• Brought Company affairs under closer British government supervision
• Established dual control by the Crown and the Company

Conclusion:

Warren Hastings played a crucial role in laying the foundations of British administration in India through major legal, revenue, and governance reforms. However, allegations of corruption and abuse of power led to his historic impeachment trial in Britain, which, despite ending in acquittal, sparked lasting debates about accountability, ethics, and the responsibilities of colonial rule.

Source: India Times