Which of the following policies were devised by Lord Dalhousie?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Lord Dalhousie and the Doctrine of Lapse -
Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856) used the 'Doctrine of Lapse' or 'Doctrine of Annexation' as a key weapon for expanding the British Empire in India.
According to this policy, if the ruler of an Indian state died without a natural heir, that state became part of the British Empire.
The ruler did not have the right to appoint an adopted son as his successor.
Satara was the first annexed under this policy (1848). Subsequently, Jaitpur, Sambalpur, Udaipur, Jhansi, and Nagpur were also annexed.
The Case of Awadh: Awadh was annexed by Dalhousie (1856) not on the basis of this policy, but on charges of misgovernance.