Consider the following statements: (a) Warren Hastings was the first…
2023
Consider the following statements: (a) Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General in India to have faced an impeachment trial in the British Parliament. (b) Warren Hastings was acquitted in the impeachment trial. Choose the correct answer from the codes below:
- A.
only (a) is correct
- B.
only (b) is correct
- C.
both (a) and (b) are correct
- D.
neither (a) nor (b) is correct
Attempted by 266 students.
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Correct answer: C
Answer: Both statements are correct.
Explanation:
Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General to face impeachment in the British Parliament.
The impeachment proceedings were brought in the late 1780s (prosecutions began around 1787), with prominent parliamentarians such as Edmund Burke leading the charges of corruption and maladministration.
The trial in the House of Lords continued for several years and concluded in 1795 with Hastings being acquitted on the charges.
The acquittal reflected a combination of weak or contested evidence on many charges and changing political attitudes during the long trial.
Therefore both the historical claim that he was the first Governor-General to be impeached and the claim that he was acquitted are accurate.