Q. In addition to Macaulay’s Minutes on Education, another landmark draft is also attributed to him. Identify the draft from the following.
(a) Draft of Indian Penal Code
(b) Draft of Indian Forest Policy
(c) Draft of the Zamindari Abolition Act
(d) Draft of the Maritime Trade Policy
Ans: (a) Draft of Indian Penal Code
Explanation: The correct answer is (a) Draft of Indian Penal Code.
In addition to Macaulay’s Minutes on Education, Thomas Babington Macaulay is also attributed to the draft of the Indian Penal Code. Macaulay played a significant role in the codification and reform of Indian laws during his tenure as a member of the Governor-General’s Council in British India.
Macaulay was appointed as the chairman of the First Law Commission of India in 1834, and he was involved in the drafting of the Indian Penal Code. The Indian Penal Code is a comprehensive criminal code that lays down the laws related to crimes, punishments, and procedures for criminal trials in India.
The Indian Penal Code was enacted in 1860, and it has been a fundamental legal framework for the criminal justice system in India. Macaulay’s draft of the Indian Penal Code incorporated principles of English common law while also considering the social and cultural context of India.
Therefore, in addition to his influential Minutes on Education, Macaulay’s draft of the Indian Penal Code is another landmark contribution that is attributed to him.
