Legislation

Charter Act of 1813

Renewing the Company's charter, Parliament abolished its India trade monopoly, admitted missionaries and funded education.

Madras Regulation VII of 1817 on temple endowments

The Madras government passed Regulation VII of 1817, the first explicit Company legislation on the management of temple endowments.

Charter Act of 1833 centralises lawmaking

The Government of India Act 1833 removed the Madras government's power to make its own laws and centralised it in Calcutta.

Indian Slavery Act abolishes legal slavery

Under Act V of 1843, slavery lost legal recognition in Company territories, agrestic slavery in the Tamil districts included.

Indian Councils Act restores Madras legislative powers

Through the Indian Councils Act 1861, the Madras Presidency regained law-making powers and gained an advisory Madras Legislative Council.

Morley-Minto reforms

The Indian Councils Act 1909 introduced elections to the legislative councils, including Madras, and admitted Indians to the Madras executive council.

Government of India Act 1919 introduces dyarchy

Based on the Montagu-Chelmsford Report, the Act introduced dyarchy in the provinces, including Madras, transferring some subjects to elected ministers.

First Communal Government Order on reservation

The Justice Party government issued the first Communal Government Order, reserving government posts for different communities.

Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act

A law passed under the Justice Party government placed Hindu temple endowments under the oversight of a statutory board.

Prohibition introduced in Salem district

The Rajaji ministry introduced prohibition of liquor in Salem district, the first such experiment in the Presidency.

Madras Agriculturists Relief Act eases peasant debt

A law to reduce the debts of indebted farmers in the Madras Presidency was brought in by the Rajagopalachari ministry.

Madras Temple Entry Authorization and Indemnity Act

A law passed by the Rajagopalachari ministry lifted the bars on Dalits and Shanars entering Hindu temples across the Presidency.

Madras Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act enacted

The Madras legislature outlawed the dedication of girls to temples as devadasis, ending a long reform campaign.

First Amendment enables reservation for backward classes

Parliament passed the First Amendment, allowing special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes.

Agricultural Labourer Fair Wages Act

Under a 1969 law, Cauvery delta farm labourers had to be paid fair wages, and landowners who exploited them faced penalties.

Land ceiling reduced to 15 standard acres

A 1970 Tamil Nadu law halved the family land ceiling, cutting it from 30 to 15 standard acres.

Tamil Nadu Legislative Council abolished

The upper house of the Tamil Nadu legislature, in existence since 1921, was abolished at the request of the MGR government.

Equal property rights for women and 30% job quota

Tamil Nadu amended Hindu succession law to give daughters equal rights in family property and reserved 30% of government jobs for women.

69% reservation Act placed in the Ninth Schedule

Through the 76th Amendment, the Constitution's Ninth Schedule came to include Tamil Nadu's 1993 law that kept reservation at 69%.

Tamil Nadu anti-conversion law

The AIADMK government introduced a law against forcible religious conversion, which was withdrawn after the 2004 Lok Sabha election and formally repealed in 2006.

Assembly passes NEET exemption bill

The Assembly passed a bill to admit students to medical courses on Class 12 marks instead of NEET, and re-passed it after the Governor returned it.