The first Supreme Court at Calcutta in British India was set up under which of the following Acts passed by the British Parliament?

Introduction / Context:
Before the modern Supreme Court of India was created in 1950, the British established a Supreme Court at Calcutta during the colonial period. This early court played an important role in introducing British style judicial institutions into India. Many questions on modern Indian history and constitutional development ask which Act of the British Parliament created this Supreme Court at Calcutta. Knowing the correct Act helps connect political control with judicial institutions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to the first Supreme Court at Calcutta during British rule, not the present Supreme Court of India.
• Options list major Acts such as the Regulating Act 1773, Pitts India Act 1784, and Charter Acts.
• We assume the learner understands that the earliest of these Acts laid the foundation for British regulation of the East India Company and for new courts.

Concept / Approach:
The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first major step by the British Parliament to regulate the affairs of the East India Company. Among other provisions, it established a Supreme Court at Calcutta to administer justice in the company territories. Later Acts such as Pitts India Act 1784 and the Charter Acts modified governance structures but did not originally set up this court. Therefore, the key is to link the creation of the Supreme Court at Calcutta with the earliest regulatory framework, namely the Regulating Act 1773.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the phrase first Supreme Court at Calcutta, which refers to the colonial era institution.Step 2: Recall that the Regulating Act 1773 aimed to control the East India Company and included the creation of a Supreme Court at Calcutta.Step 3: Consider Pitts India Act 1784, which refined the control mechanism but did not originally establish this court.Step 4: Recognise that Charter Acts 1813 and 1833 and the Government of India Act 1858 came later and dealt with broader administrative and commercial issues.Step 5: Conclude that the Supreme Court at Calcutta was set up under the Regulating Act 1773.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by consulting standard history or polity textbooks that outline the development of the Indian judiciary under British rule. These books clearly state that the Regulating Act 1773 established a Supreme Court at Calcutta composed of a Chief Justice and other judges. Later Acts refined the system but did not replace this foundational fact. Exam summaries and tables often pair Regulating Act 1773 with the formation of the Supreme Court at Calcutta, which confirms the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Pitts India Act 1784 created a system of joint control between the British Government and the East India Company but did not originate the Supreme Court at Calcutta. Charter Act 1813 ended the trade monopoly of the company in some goods and adjusted administration. Charter Act 1833 and Government of India Act 1858 were later reforms that reshaped governance after events such as the revolt of 1857. None of these Acts is credited with first setting up the Supreme Court at Calcutta.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often remember that several Acts were passed by the British Parliament and may mix up their specific contributions. Some recall Pitts India Act as important and mistakenly choose it. Others are confused by the similar sounding Charter Acts. A helpful strategy is to see the Regulating Act 1773 as the starting point of serious parliamentary regulation of the company, including the first Supreme Court, and to treat later Acts as modifications and extensions of this system.

Final Answer:
Regulating Act, 1773