SSC GD 2025 PYQ — Question 37

The correct answer is Option 2 i.e. Indian Councils Act.

The Indian Councils Act of 1861 established a significant legal framework for the governance of British India. Enacted by the British Parliament, it marked the beginning of legislative decentralization by allowing the Viceroy to expand his council and include non-official Indian members in law-making processes. The Act also empowered provincial governments, like Bombay and Madras, to make their own laws. This laid the foundation for a more participatory administration, though real power still remained concentrated in British hands.