Reforms of Lord Cornwallis
Lord Cornwallis was the Governor General of Bengal in 1786-93. He laid the groundwork for several administrative and Judicial reforms to improve the efficiency of administration and to ensure smooth governance of the vast territories under companies control. He implemented the system of permanent settlement. He prohibited export of slaves from Bengal. He is regarded as the father of Indian civil services as he introduced Covenanted Civil Services also known as Imperial Civil Services. Lord Cornwallis also introduced police reforms. Under him the district were divided into police circles called Thanas. Each Thana were placed under Daroga. All the Thanas of a district were place under Superintendent of Police. Lord Cornwallis implemented significant judicial reform. He was alarmed at the extend of power concentrated in the hands of district collector. He therefore separated the revenue collection and judicial function. He passed a regulation in 1793 under which the district collector were deprived of his judicial and magistrate power which are transfer to district judge. He abolished the Faujdari Adalat and established circuit courts at Murshidabad, Dacca, Calcutta and Patna to handle the appeals in the civil and criminal cases. These courts were managed by the European judges who handle appeal in the civil and the criminal cases. He also established a clear grades of the civil courts at the lowest level were the Mofussil courts preside over by Indian officials who could decide the dispute involving amount of up to 50 Rupees. At the next level was the court of registrars led by European official who could handle the cases up to 200 Rupees. Appeal from these lower courts were directed to the district court presided over by district judge. Above these were provincial courts of appeal presided over by English judge. The highest appellate authority was the Sadr Diwani Adalat in Calcutta headed by Governor General of Bengal and his council. Cornwallis made significant contribution in reforming criminal law in India. According to new rules under him in the case of murder the focus should be on the intention of the accused. Instead of traditional punishment like amputation of limbs or other body parts, Cornwallis replaced it with a system of temporary hard labor, fine or imprisonment depending upon the circumstances of the case. He passed a regulation in 1793 which amended the laws of evidence under this the will of the heir or kin of the deceased was no longer allowed to influence the punishment. Similarly, religious persuasions of witness should not affect the convection. His judicial reformed termed as Cornwallis Court.