Setting up a New Administration


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Setting up a New Administration

Setting up a New Administration: Warren Hastings was one of the many important figures who played a significant role in the many expansion of company power.Before the Britishers emerged on the political horizon of India , the Indian territories were divided into kingdoms , ruled by different rulers. they had their own administrative policies . the whole country was not under the single blanket of the administration.

By his time the company had acquired power not only in Bengal, but also in Bombay and madras. British territories were broadly divided into administrative units called presidencies. They were three presidencies: Bengal, Madras and Bombay. Each was ruled by a governor-general. Warren Hastings, the first governor-general, introduced several administration reforms, notably in the sphere of justice.

From 1772 a new system of justice was established. Each district was to have two courts- a criminal court (faujdar adalat) and a civil court (diwani adalat). Maulvis and Hindu pundits interpreted Indian laws for the European district collectors who presided over civil courts. The criminal courts were still under a Qazi and a mufti but under the supervision of the collectors.

A major problems was that the Brahman Pandita gave different interpretations of local laws based on different schools of the dharamshastra. To bring about uniformity, in 1775 eleven pundits were asked to compile a digest of Hindu laws N.B Halhed translated this digest into English. By 1773 a code of Muslim laws was also complied for the benefit of European judges. Under the regulating act of 1773, a new supreme court was established, while a court of appeal - the Sadar Nizamat Adalat - was also set up at Calcutta,

The principal figure in an Indian district was the collector. As the title suggests, his main job was to collect revenue and taxes and maintain law and order in his district with the help of judges, police officers and darogas. His office- the collector-ate became the new centre of power and patronage that steadily replaced previous holders of authority.

The trial of Warren Hastings 1789.

 
 


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