Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements

The Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements was the first modern legislature in the Straits Settlements, which today forms the Republic of Singapore as well as the Malaysian states of Penang and Malacca. It was formed on 1 April 1867 when the Straits Settlements was made a crown colony. A legislature allowed laws to be made more swiftly and efficiently, as it was directly responsible to the secretary of state for the colonies in London, instead of being placed under a legislative hierarchy and answering to the Calcutta colonial government based in India.

Letters patent granted a colonial constitution on 4 February, which allocated much power to the governor. The governor was assisted by an executive council and legislative council, the latter of which was entrusted with lawmaking in the colony, although the governor had a casting vote and the power of assent and veto on all legislations.