<P> The Charter Act 1833 replaced the Governor - General and Council of Fort William with the Governor - General and Council of India . The power to elect the Governor - General was retained by the Court of Directors, but the choice became subject to the Sovereign's approval . </P> <P> After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the East India Company's territories in India were put under the direct control of the Sovereign . The Government of India Act 1858 vested the power to appoint the Governor - General in the Sovereign . The Governor - General, in turn, had the power to appoint all lieutenant governors in India, subject to the Sovereign's approval . </P> <P> India and Pakistan acquired independence in 1947, but Governors - General continued to be appointed over each nation until republican constitutions were written . Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma remained Governor - General of India for some time after independence, but the two nations were otherwise headed by native Governors - General . India became a secular republic in 1950; Pakistan became an Islamic one in 1956 . </P> <P> The Governor - General originally had power only over the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal . The Regulating Act, however, granted them additional powers relating to foreign affairs and defence . The other Presidencies of the East India Company (Madras, Bombay and Bencoolen) were neither allowed to declare war on nor make peace with an Indian prince without receiving the prior approval of the Governor - General and Council of Fort William . </P>

Who was the governor general when india became independent