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Unit 5: Reforms of William Bentinck

5.4 Judicial Reforms Notes
The Provincial Courts of Appeal and Circuit set up by Cornwallis were burdened with excessive
duties and usually arrears accumulated. The judicial procedure followed in these courts was
cumbersome and often resulted in delays and uncertainties. William Bentinck abolished these courts,
transferring their duties to magistrates and collectors under the supervision of Commissioner of
Revenue and Circuit. For the convenience of the public of Upper Provinces (present-day U.P.) and
Delhi, a separate Sadr Nizamat Adalat and a Sadr Diwani Adalat were set up at Allahabad and the
residents of these areas were no longer under the necessity of travelling a thousand miles to file their
appeals at Calcutta.
Persian so far had been the court language. Bentinck gave the suitors the option to use Persian or
vernanculars in filing their suits. In higher coruts Persian was replaced by English as the court language.
Qualified Indians were appointed in junior judicial capacities of Munsiffs and could rise to the position
of Sadr Amins.
Self-Assessment
1. Fill in the blanks:
(i) ............... took vigorous steps to suppress the infanticide and child sacrifice.
(ii) Regulation No. XVII of December ............... declared the practice of sati.
(iii) The appropriate name for thugs was ............... derived from the scarf and noose used by the
thugs to strangle their victims.
(iv) ............... arrested as many as 1,500 thugs and sentenced them to death.
(v) Macaulay’s views were accepted and embodied in a resolution of ............... which declared
that English would be the official language of India in the higher branches of administration.
5.5 Summary

• Undoubtedly, Bentinck took effective steps to root out social evils like sati and infanticide,
established law and order in the country by suppressing the thugs, gave a larger share to the
Indians in the subordinate services, expressed noble sentiments regarding the liberty of the
press and took vital decisions regarding the educational system in India. He, however, did
nothing to liberalize the administration or extend the blessings of political liberty to India to
deserve the great praise Macaulay has showered on him. The Company’s government remained
as despotic as ever. P.E. Roberts is very correct when he remarks that “the famous statement
represents rather the pious aspirations of the Governor-General and the ultimate tendency of
his policy, than anything actually achieved”.
• Early British Governors-General like Cornwallis, Minto and Lord Hastings had taken some
steps to restrict the practice of sati by discouraging compulsion, forbidding administration of
intoxicating drugs to the sorrow-stricken widows, putting a ban on the burning of pregnant
women or widows below 16 years of age and, above all, making compulsory the presence of
police officials at the time of sacrifice, who were to see that no compulsion was used. These
restrictions, however, proved inadequate and unsuccessful.
• Another great reform to the credit of William Bentinck is the suppression of thugs. The thugs,
i.e., cheats were a sect of hereditary assassins and robbers who lived by preying upon innocent
and defenseless travellers. A more appropriate name for thugs was pansigar, derived from the
scarf and noose used by the thugs to strangle their victims.
• The strength of a thug gang varied from a single thug to as many as 400 thugs. Usually the
victim was a single individual, but sometimes a dozen men were murdered at the same time.
• While there could be some difference of opinion about the abolition of sati, the public opinion
solidly supported the Government measures to suppress thugi in 1830. The operations against
the thugs were put in the charge of Colonel William Sleeman. The rulers of Indian states were
invited to co-operate in this task. Colonel Sleeman arrested as many as 1,500 thugs and sentenced
them to death or imprisonment for life.

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