Indian Councils Act, 1861

The Regulating Act of 1773 limited the influence of the Governor-General of India and established the Council of Four, elected by the East India Company's Court of Directors. Pitt's India Act of 1784 reduced the membership to three, and also established the India Board.

The Indian Councils Act 1861 made several changes to the Council's composition. The council was now called the Governor-General's Legislative Council or the Imperial Legislative Council. Three members were to be appointed by the Secretary of State for India, and two by the Sovereign. The power to appoint all five members passed to the Crown in 1869.

The Indian Councils Act of 1861 increased the number of members in the Governor-General’s Executive Council from 4 to 5.

Further, the Governor-General’s Executive Council was enlarged into a Central Legislative Council. 6 to 12 additional members were to be nominated by the Governor-General. Not less than half of these members were to be non-officials. Thus, a provision was made for the inclusion of Indians in the Legislative Council.

The functions of these members were strictly limited to making legislation and they were forbidden from interfering in the matters of the Executive Council. They did not possess powers of administration and finance.

Legislative Councils were also established in the provinces. The number of additional members in the provinces was fixed between 4 to 8.