---
title: "Act of 1786: Cornwallis & Governor-General Powers"
description: "The Act of 1786 granted Governor-General Cornwallis the power to override his council, shaping British control in India during Company rule."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/act-of-1786"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Act of 1786 was a British statute amending the Pitt's India Act of 1784 to grant Governor-General Lord Cornwallis combined civil and military authority and the power to override his council.
- What was the main purpose of the Act of 1786?
- How did the Act of 1786 change the Governor-General's relationship with his council?
- How is the Act of 1786 different from Pitt's India Act of 1784?
- Did the override power granted in 1786 survive after Cornwallis?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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Lord Cornwallis accepted the Governor-Generalship in 1786 only after Parliament passed the Act giving him power to override his council and serve as Commander-in-Chief, which he used to wage the Third Anglo-Mysore War against Tipu Sultan.

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