The Legal HistoryHistory of Courts and Legal Profession in

India

Ancient Period

Dharma And RtaThese laws are eternal and any cosmic law,

which changes with time, is not a Vedic RTA. Not following these is misery and even death. These laws cover comprehensively human conduct, avoidance of all material excesses, enlightened liberalism, selfless action, path of virtue etc. All animate life- human beings; animals, birds, fishes and others can know these laws from the Book of Nature. These laws are a-priori principles known to individuals “real self”. In the Vedas Dharma is Rta. Not following these laws is adharma.

Medieval Period

ShariatShariat is the moral code and religious law

 of Islam. Sharia deals with many topics addressed by secular law, including crime, politics, and economics, as well as personal matters such as sexual intercourse, hygiene, diet, prayer, and fasting. Though interpretations of sharia vary between cultures, in its strictest definition it is considered the infallible law of God—as opposed to the human interpretation of the laws. 

Modern Period

Unit 1: Administration of Justice in Presidency Towns

Settlements: Surat, Madras, Bombay and Calcutta.

Courts: Mayor’s Court of 1726 to Supreme Court of 1774.

Statutes: Regulating Act, 1773; Pitts India Act, 1784; the Act of Settlement 1781.

Conflict: Raja Nand Kumar, Kamaluddin, Patna Case, and Cossijurah.

Development of Adalat system and Civil Law in Mofussil: Law applicable to Non -Hindus and Non- Muslims; Justice Equity and good conscience.

Unit 2: Judicial Reforms

Warren Hastings: Judicial Plans of 1772, 1774 and 1780.

Lord Cornwallis: Judicial Plans of 1787, 1790 and 1793

Lord William Bentinck (With special focus on Appraisal of Criminal law)

Judicial Reforms 1835-1858.

Unit 3: Changes in the Indian Judicial set up under the crown

Establishment of High Courts.Privy Council.Federal Court. Supreme Court

Unit 4: Evolution of Law

Development of Personal Laws.

Codification of LawsFirst Law Commission.Second Law Commission.Third Law Commission.Fourth Law Commission.Fifth Law commission

Unit 5: Development of Legal Profession and EducationLegal Profession established under Charter

of 1774.Legal Practitioners Act 1853.Provision for the enrolment of the Advocates

under letters patent issued High Courts under the Indian High Courts Act, 1861.

Legal Practitioners Act 1879 and the report of Indian Bar Committee, 1923.

Indian bar Councils Act, 1926 and All India Bar Committee, 1951.

Advocates Act, 1961.Legal Education in India

Sessions :48Two and half units before Mid Sem

And two and half after.

Internal AssessmentOne Project hand written.( 10

Marks)Ten pages hand written book review.

(5 marks)Two Snap tests. (5marks each)One test before Mid sem. (5 marks )