Important Acts in India: List of Important Acts in India PDF
By Balaji
Updated on: February 17th, 2023
Some of the important acts in India are the Charter Act of 1813, the Rowlatt Act, the Indian Independence Act before independence, the States reorganization act, the environment protection act, etc., after independence. Getting complete knowledge about the Important Acts in India is crucial for the aspirants aiming to appear for the UPSC and other competitive exams. According to the Indian Constitution, there are three types of acts in the Indian legislative system: Legislative Acts, Judicial Acts, and Notarial Acts.
Below you will find the list of important acts in India PDF before and after independence, along with a detailed explanation of some of the acts passed by the British and Indian Governments that transformed India over the years.
Table of content
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1. What are the Important Acts in India?
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2. List of Important Acts in India PDF
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3. Important Acts in India Before Independence
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4. Important Acts in India After Independence
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5. How many Acts are in Indian Constitution?
What are the Important Acts in India?
India has a system of laws and acts that maintain the legal framework of the country. Several acts have been passed by the Indian government. It covers various aspects like economy, governance, disaster management, women, environment and ecology, commerce, children and other marginalized sections.
Important Acts in India PDF
The first act, the Costing-Vessels Act, was passed by the British government in 1838. After independence, the acts are passed according to the Indian legislature.
List of Important Acts in India PDF
The Important Acts in India have positively impacted the country’s economy and status. Here is the list of the important acts in India before and after independence:
Indecent Representation of Women Act (IRW), 1986 |
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Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018 |
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Charter Act, 1793 |
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) |
Sexual Harassment of Women Laws |
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Indian Forest Act of 1927 |
Code on Wages Bill, 2019 |
Surrogacy Regulation Bill |
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Roshni Act [Jammu & Kashmir] |
Government of NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 |
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Official Secrets Act, 1923 |
Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 |
Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 |
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 |
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Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 |
Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 |
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020 |
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Thuggee and Dacoity Suppression Acts |
Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 |
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 |
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National Security Act, 1980 |
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Road Safety and Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, 2019 |
Indian Companies Act |
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National Water Framework Bill, 2016 |
DNA Technology Bill |
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National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 |
Farm Laws, 2020 |
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Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Amendment Bill, 2015 |
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 [Triple Talaq Act] |
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Important Acts in India Before Independence
During British Rule in India, the Legislatures were established in India in accordance with the Acts of Parliament of the UK. These Legislatures have the power to pass several acts, and some of these acts are still used in independent India. Among all the acts passed during the british rule in India, the important acts in India are as follows:
- Regulating Act of 1773
- Pitt’s India Act of 1784
- Charter Act of 1813
- Bengal Sati Regulation Act of 1829
- Hindu Widows Remarriage Act of 1856
- Government of India Act of 1858
- Indian Councils Act of 1892
- Government of India Act of 1919
- Rowlatt Act, 1919
- Government of India Act of 1935
- Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
- Indian Independence Act, 1947
Charter Act of 1813
The British Parliament passed the Charter Act of 1813 to define the constitutional position of the British Indian territories. The Charter Act of 1813, also called the East India Company Act of 1813, abolished the East India Company’s trade monopoly with India. After the introduction of the act, all the countries of the world were able to maintain trade relations with India. However, the Charter Act of 1813 was repealed by the Government of India Act of 1915.
Hindu Widows Remarriage Act of 1856
During British rule, the women were forced to do the Sati custom. This custom was abolished by Lord William Bentick. But, the status of widows was worse. They did not have the right to marry again, but the introduction of the Hindu Widows Remarriage Act of 1856 changed the status of widows in Indian society. Hindu Widows Remarriage Act of 1856 was passed by the British India legislature as a result of the constant efforts by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The act became an important step towards women’s empowerment, and that is why it is included in one of the most important acts in India.
Rowlatt Act, 1919
Rowlatt Act of 1919 replaced the Defence of India Act of 1915. It allowed the practice of trying certain political cases without juries. Also, it permitted the internment of the suspect without a fair trial. However, all the non-official Indian council members voted against the act. Several peaceful protests by Gandhi against the Rowlatt Act. In Punjab, the protest led to the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre, which became one of the serious events in the Indian Freedom Struggle.
Indian Independence Act, 1947
On 3 June 1947, a plan was proposed by the British government. The plan was based on these principles-
- Division of British India.
- Autonomy and sovereignty to both countries.
- Dominion status to Successor government.
- Both countries can make their own constitution.
The Act was adopted on 15 August 1947, resulting in the formation of two independent countries: India and Pakistan.
Important Acts in India After Independence
After independence, the government of India passed several new acts to change the acts passed during British Rule. As of 2022, there are 1305 laws in India. Some of these acts are State laws, while others are Central laws. Here are the important acts passed in India after Independence–
- The Special Marriage Act, 1954
- The Citizenship Act, 1955
- The States Reorganisation Act, 1956
- The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958
- The Northeastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971
- The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
- The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
- The Information Technology Act, 2000
- The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
- The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
- The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
- The National Food Security Act, 2013
- The National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, 2014
- The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
- The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018
- The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019
- The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019
- The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019
- The Code on Wages, 2019
- The Consumer Protection Act, 2019
The States Reorganisation Act, 1956
With the introduction of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, the territories and boundaries of the different states of India were formed on the basis of the regional language. After the introduction of the act, the Indian states were differentiated into the following four types of states-
- Part A states
- Part B states
- Part C states
- Part D states
The Environment Protection Act, 1986
The Environment Protection Act was implemented by the Indian government in 1986 to protect and improve the environmental condition. After the introduction of the act, the Central government of India got the power to establish Authorities for controlling environmental problems along with dealing with the environmental pollution in different parts of India. An amendment was made to the Environment Protection Act of 1986 in 1991.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019
Mr Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs, introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act in Rajya Sabha on August 5, 2019. After the act’s introduction, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was split into two union territories: Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir. The Governor of the State became the Lieutenant Governor of J&K Union Territory.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019
One of the major problems with Muslim women’s rights was triple talaq. After the introduction of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, the government of India protected the rights of Muslim Women. It declared that the pronouncement of talaq three times for an instant divorce is void and is considered illegal. A guilty person shall be sentenced to imprisonment for upto 3 years, along with a fine.
How many Acts are in Indian Constitution?
Before the formation of the Indian Consitution, the laws and acts were passed by the British government. These acts have formed to maintain their rule, but after independence, the acts were passed by the Indian legislatures. Firstly, a bill is drafted in the legislature, and then it has to pass through several stages to become a Parliament Act. Since 1838, a total of 993 acts have been passed in India.