ABSTRACT
India was a formal British colony from 1858 to 1947, and during this period British imperial policy signifi cantly impacted upon India and her population.1 The achievement of political independence in 1947 heralded the implementation of new Indian social, political, legal and economic systems. Although there was little direct involvement by Britain once the transfer of power had been completed, an indirect British infl uence remained, exemplifi ed by the retention of many British institutions such as the parliamentary system and the legal system, suggesting that British models functioned as templates for India even after the cessation of formal empire.
