By the Government of India Act of 1858, the powers of the Board of Control and the Court of Directors of the East India Company were transferred to which constitutional authority?

Introduction / Context:
This question deals with the important constitutional change brought about by the Government of India Act 1858. After the Revolt of 1857, the British government decided to end the rule of the East India Company and bring Indian administration directly under the Crown. Understanding which authority replaced the Company's Board of Control and Court of Directors is essential for grasping the new administrative structure introduced after 1858.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The Act referred to is the Government of India Act 1858.
• Before 1858, the Board of Control and the Court of Directors controlled the East India Company's Indian affairs.
• The Act transferred their powers to a new constitutional authority.
• The options list various possible authorities within the British imperial system.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall the administrative reforms after the 1857 Revolt. The Government of India Act 1858 abolished the Company's rule and created the office of the Secretary of State for India, assisted by a Council of India, in London. This new Secretary of State took over the functions previously exercised by the Board of Control and the Court of Directors, giving the British Cabinet direct control over Indian policy. The Viceroy administered India on the ground, but ultimate authority lay with the Secretary of State.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the Board of Control and Court of Directors were bodies of the East India Company system. Step 2: The Government of India Act 1858 ended Company rule and transferred authority to the Crown. Step 3: This Act created a new office, the Secretary of State for India, based in Britain. Step 4: The new Secretary of State, with the Council of India, exercised the powers over Indian governance that had formerly belonged to the Company's organs. Step 5: Therefore, the powers of the Board of Control and the Court of Directors were transferred to the Secretary of State for India.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard constitutional histories of British India clearly state that the Government of India Act 1858 vested the governance of India in the Crown, to be exercised through the Secretary of State for India. The Viceroy is described as the Crown's representative in India but subordinate to the Secretary of State and his Council. Parliament remained the supreme legislative body in Britain, but day to day control of Indian affairs went to the Secretary of State, not directly to Parliament or the Commander in Chief.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The British Parliament as a whole: Parliament passed the Act and remained sovereign, but it did not directly take over the specific administrative powers of the Board and Court; these went to the Secretary of State for India.
The Viceroy of India: The Viceroy administered India on behalf of the Crown but reported to the Secretary of State and did not replace the Board and Court in London.
The Commander-in-Chief in India: This was a military office responsible for the army, not a constitutional authority replacing the Company's governing organs.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse "Crown rule" with Parliament itself or assume the Viceroy had ultimate control, ignoring the London based Secretary of State. Another mistake is to think that the military Commander-in-Chief took charge after the Revolt because of the uprising's violent nature. Remember that the 1858 Act centralised authority in a cabinet level minister, the Secretary of State for India, with advisory support from the Council of India.

Final Answer:
By the Act of 1858, the powers of the Board of Control and the Court of Directors were transferred to the Secretary of State for India.