Sadr Diwani Adalat
Encyclopedia
Ṣadr Dīwānī ʿAdālat was a high court of civil and revenue jurisdiction in Mughal
and British India. It was instituted by Warren Hastings
, the British governor-general, in 1772. It sat in Calcutta and was the final court of appeal in civil matters; it consisted of the governor-general and two members of his council.
When the Bengal government clashed with the Supreme Court of Calcutta, which administered English law
, Hastings tried to solve the problem of conflicting jurisdiction by persuading the chief justice, Sir Elijah Impey
, to become head of the Ṣadr Dīwānī ʿAdālat as well. But the East India Company
vetoed the arrangement.
This high civil court, like its counterpart for criminal jurisdiction—the Ṣadr Nizāmat ʿAdālat(in Bengal Presidency
) and Ṣadr Faujdāri ʿAdālat (in Bombay Presidency
& Madras Presidency
) was abolished after the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58, and its powers and jurisdiction were transferred to new high courts of judicature set up by the Indian High Courts Act of 1861.
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and British India. It was instituted by Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings PC was the first Governor-General of India, from 1773 to 1785. He was famously accused of corruption in an impeachment in 1787, but was acquitted in 1795. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1814.-Early life:...
, the British governor-general, in 1772. It sat in Calcutta and was the final court of appeal in civil matters; it consisted of the governor-general and two members of his council.
When the Bengal government clashed with the Supreme Court of Calcutta, which administered English law
English law
English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countries and the United States except Louisiana...
, Hastings tried to solve the problem of conflicting jurisdiction by persuading the chief justice, Sir Elijah Impey
Elijah Impey
Sir Elijah Impey was a British judge, at one time chief justice of Bengal and MP for New Romney.He was born the youngest son of Elijah Impey and his wife Martha, daughter of James Fraser and was educated at Westminster School with Warren Hastings, who was his intimate friend throughout life...
, to become head of the Ṣadr Dīwānī ʿAdālat as well. But the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
vetoed the arrangement.
This high civil court, like its counterpart for criminal jurisdiction—the Ṣadr Nizāmat ʿAdālat(in Bengal Presidency
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
) and Ṣadr Faujdāri ʿAdālat (in Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
& Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
) was abolished after the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58, and its powers and jurisdiction were transferred to new high courts of judicature set up by the Indian High Courts Act of 1861.
External links
- English Law in India By Anil Chandra Banerjee
- 2.13 MAHARASHTRA
- Glossary: S, A glossary of special terminology used in India during the British Administration.
- History of Midieval India By Chand, Hukam
- Administrative System in India By U.B. Singh