The Transition of Administrative Machinery: Governor of Punjab from Ancient Times to British Raj

Abstract

The portfolio of provincial administrators has maintained its significance in India since ancient times. The effective control of any region within a ruler’s empire relied on the competence of the provincial administrator from a distant location. With time, the nomenclature and position of the Governor underwent alterations. The East India Company pioneered the current notion of a governor. Under the Company’s and Crown’s tenure, the portfolio’s standing and authority were enhanced. The Lieutenant Governors and Governors of Punjab held significant power with absolute authority. The failure of the diarchy introduced by the India Act 1919 can be attributed, in part, to the excessive authority vested in the Governor. The Government of India Act 1935 also established a formidable governor in Punjab. The amicable alliance between the Governors and Premiers of Punjab, along with the Council of Ministers, had led to a tranquil, impartial, and progressive Punjab. The administrative structure established by the India Act of 1935 remained unchanged for Punjab. This study aims to examine the evolution and relevance of governorship, specifically in Punjab, from ancient times to the culmination of the Raj in 1947.