BY: TARUN PRATAP

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
IN PRESIDENCY
TOWNS(SETTLEMENT AT SURAT)
EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS OR
FACTORIES.
 AFTER THE DEATH OF AURANGZEB THE ENGLISH EAST INDIA
COMPANY WAS GROWING IN POWER AND STRENGTH .
 SOMETHING ABOUT THE ENGLISH FACTORIES……..
 A FACTORY CONSISTED OF WAREHOUSES FOR STORAGE OF GOODS
AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS FOR ITS EMPLOYEES.
 ENGLISH FACTORIES AND SETTLEMENTS WERE GOVERNED BY THE
PRESIDENT OR GOVERNER AND COUNCIL AT THREE PLACES.
 THE GOVERNOR ALSO LOOKED AFTER THE ADMINISTRATION OF
JUSTICE.
 THE COMPANY HAS TO DERIVE ITS POWER FROM THE TWO
DIFFERENT SOURCES…….FROM THE CROWN OR FROM THE MUGHAL
EMPORER.
 AT THE THREE SETTLEMENT OF BOMBAY, MADRAS AND CALCUTTA
THE COMPANY HAS TO DEAL WITH THE DIFFERENT POLITICAL
LEADERS.
SETTLEMENT AT SURAT
 AT SURAT THE FACTORY OF THE BRITISHERS WAS A HIRED
HOUSE.
 THE FARMAN OF THE MUGHAL EMPORER MADE THE EAST INDIA
COMPANY MORE STRONGER THAN THE OTHER EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES.
 WITH THIS HELP THE BRITISH ROUTED THE PORTUGUESE IN THE
WATERS OF SURAT.
 CATCH: IN THOSE DAYS IN INDIA THE LAW WAS PERSONNAL AND
RELIGIOUS IN CHARACTER AND THE ENGLISH DID NOT LIKE TO
BE GOVERNED BY THAT LAW AND BY THE LOCAL COURTS.
 THE MUGHAL EMPEROR WAS NOT INTERESTED IN INTERFERING
WITH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE
THEREFORE THE EMPEROR OBLIGED THEM BY GRANTING THE
FARMAN OF 1612 A.D.
THE FARMAN OF 1612 A.D.

 THE MUGHAL EMPORER GRANTED THE RIGHT OF

THE SELF GOVERNMENT TO THEM.
 THE AFFAIRS AND RELATIONS AMONG THEM INTER
SE WERE TO BE REGULATED ACCORDIND TO THEIR
OWN LAW AND BY THEIR OWN AUTHORITIES
WITHIN THE FACTORY AND TO THIS EXTENT THEY
WERE TO BE EXEMPT FROM THE AUTHORITY OF
THE LOCAL COURTS FUNCTIONING AT SURAT.
 CATCH: THIS HAS A PROFOUND AFFECT ON THE
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDIAN
LEGAL SYSTEM.
REALITY CHECK………
 IN THE COURTS AT THE SURAT THE JUSTICE WAS NOT GIVEN
PROPERLY.
 BUT WHY…..
 THOSE WHO ADMINISTERED JUSTICE WERE MERELY THE TRADERS
HAVING NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW AND ALSO THEY DID NOT
BELONG TO THE HIGHER STRATA OF THE SOCIETY.
 THE ENGLISHMEN IN SURAT OFTEN TOOK THE LAW IN THEIR
HANDS AND BY-PASSED LOCAL COURTS.
 IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE SURAT FACTORY DID NOT HAVE
ANY CONTRIBUTION IN THE GROWTH OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF
JUSTICE.
 ITS IMPORTANCE WAS REDUCED BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFER OF
THE ESTABLISHMENT FROM SURAT TO BOMBAY IN 1687,SO MUCH
SO THAT THE SURAT ESTABLISHMENT WAS SUBORDINATED TO
BOMBAY.