Under the provisions of Pitt's India Act of 1784, the Governor-General of Bengal was specially empowered with which additional authority in relation to his council?

Introduction / Context:
Pitt's India Act of 1784 was a turning point in the constitutional relationship between the British Government in London and the East India Company in India. One of its aims was to streamline control over the Company's political and administrative functions. This question focuses on the specific power given to the Governor-General of Bengal regarding his council under this Act.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The Act in question is Pitt's India Act, passed in 1784.
• The setting is the Governor-General of Bengal and his executive council.
• The Act was aimed at better coordination and control rather than full parliamentary sovereignty over daily decisions.
• The options list different possible powers related to voting and council structure.

Concept / Approach:
Under earlier arrangements, the Governor-General often had to work with a council in which he could be outvoted, leading to administrative deadlocks. Pitt's India Act sought to clarify lines of authority. The key concept to recall is that the Governor-General was given the right to have a deciding vote when the council was evenly split, thereby ensuring smoother decision-making.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. All council members already had a regular vote; the issue was what happened in case of a tie.2. Pitt's India Act gave the Governor-General a special power so that he could resolve deadlocks rather than remain bound by a divided council.3. That power took the form of a casting vote, used only when the regular votes of the council resulted in a tie.4. The Act did not give the Governor-General unchecked power to dismiss the council unilaterally.5. It also did not permit him to add members to the council at will; that remained under metropolitan control.6. Therefore, the most accurate answer is that Pitt's India Act empowered the Governor-General with a casting vote.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard constitutional histories of British India mention that under Pitt's India Act, the Governor-General of Bengal became the principal executive authority in India and was given a casting vote in his council. This change ensured that, in the event of a tie, the Governor-General's decision would prevail, preventing administrative paralysis. No serious historical source claims that he was granted the power to dismiss or expand his council on his own initiative as part of this specific Act.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Power of vote like any other member: He already had an ordinary vote; this was not a new power granted by Pitt's India Act.
• The power to dismiss the entire council: This would have been far too sweeping and is not mentioned in the Act.
• The power to add more members to the council: Council composition remained under the control of the Company and British authorities, not solely the Governor-General.
• Power to overrule the British Parliament: This is clearly impossible and contrary to the entire logic of imperial governance.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the Governor-General's powers under different Acts, mixing up features of the Regulating Act of 1773, Pitt's India Act of 1784, and later Charter Acts. Another mistake is to assume that 'stronger control' must mean extreme powers like dismissing the council, which was not the case. The key is to remember that Pitt's India Act refined control by giving the Governor-General a casting vote, not absolute authority over the council structure itself.

Final Answer:
Under Pitt's India Act, the Governor-General of Bengal was empowered with a casting vote in case of a tie in his council.