Report On The Administration Of Civil Justice In The Punjab For The Year 1861-64 (Bound Vol.)

· 1862 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1PART ILI—APBEALS..

213, “f There has been an extraordinary decrease in appeals, both in the Deputy Com-

3missioners’ and the, Commissioner's courts, amounting to close

4Their number.

5upon fifty per cout in either instance. Only 136 appeals wore

6preferred to the Commissionor.”

7“ Mr, Ford attributes the decrease in the Goorgaon district to the more careful way of

8Investigating cases introduced by him in 1860 ; and, from the cases I have seen from his dis-

9trict, I-beliove that there is a goud deal of truth in this. He also considera that false claims

10have beon much fewer, as evidenced by the larger proportion of decrees on confession.”

11Major Eliott in Kurnaul gives this exulauation :—-that as the record in most cases is ia

12English only, no translation of which is filed, parties cre unable to appeal intclligibly, or

13with confidence. Seeing, however, that more than half the cases in his district are decided

14by natives, [do not think that this explanation carries much weight, especially mie it ie

15remembered that in other parts of the Punjab, where ths E iglish record ia in vogue, appeals

16have continued to increase.”

17“T apprebend that greater care in inv'stiz ating, now that the Punjab system has byan

18fairly introduced in this division, and the depressing influence of the famine, have kept

19down appeals,”

201h, “The pereantage has considerably increased in the courts of the Deputy Com.

21Peermlage reversed or iSsioners of Delhie and Kurnanl, but has sensibly decreased in Goor-

22modified. ere ; ;

23cs gaon. In the Delhie district, itis Mxtra Aasistant Bunsec Lall’s court

24to which the largest proportion of orders, not confirmed, appertains,”

25“Tn the Commissioner's office there his been alarva decrease in modification of de-

26cisions passed by the Goorgaon officers; a slight decrease in Kurnaul, and a slight increase

27in Delhic.”

2815. “Reveraals and modifications in the district offices are said to be on account of

29ae! error in fact. Major Eliott attributes the error in facts to the

30Reversals or modifications

31generally for error in tacts. inability of the European officers to examine native witnesses

32efisiently. This doubtless is true of som junior officers ; but I do not think it cau be

33accepted as a generally correct statement.”

34“In the Commissioner’s office, I am informed that modification of orders gencrally arises