Who among the following introduced the policy of ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ ?

Who among the following introduced the policy of ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ ?

Lord Cornwallis
Lord Wellesley
Lord Hastings
Lord Dalhousie
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2021
The policy of ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ was a controversial annexation policy widely implemented by Lord Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of British India from 1848 to 1856. According to this doctrine, if a princely state’s ruler died without a natural male heir, the state would be annexed by the British East India Company.
– The Doctrine of Lapse was a British annexation policy in India.
– It was primarily associated with Lord Dalhousie.
– States like Satara, Sambalpur, Udaipur, Nagpur, and Jhansi were annexed under this doctrine.
The doctrine was based on the principle that the right to rule lapsed to the paramount power (the British East India Company) in the absence of a natural heir. It caused significant resentment among Indian rulers and was one of the factors contributing to the Revolt of 1857.