The following items consist of two statements, Statement I and Statement II Examine these two statements carefully and select the correct answer using the code given below:

Statement I: The British legal scholars relied on Indian Pandits and Maulvis for understanding of canons of authoritative texts

Statement II: British codified the Hindu Laws in 1783 and the Muslim Laws in 1785

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UPSC CAPF Previous Year Paper 3 (Held on: 23 July 2017)

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Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
Both the statement are individually true but Statement II is NOT the correct explanation of Statement I
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Statement I is false but Statement II is true

Answer 1

The correct answer is option 3.

From 1772 a new system of justice was established. Each district was to have two courts – a criminal court ( Faujdari Adalat ) and a civil court (Diwani Adalat).
The British legal scholars relied on Indian Pandits and Maulvis understanding of canons of authoritative texts. Hence statement I is correct.
Maulvis and Hindu pandits interpreted Indian laws for the European district collectors who presided over civil courts.
The criminal courts were still under a qazi (A Judge) and mufti (A jurist of the Muslim community) but under the supervision of the collectors.
British codified
- In 1775 eleven pandits were asked to compile a digest of Hindu laws.
- By 1778 a code of Muslim laws was also compiled for the benefit of European judges. Hence statement II is wrong.
Calcutta Madrasa and Sanskrit College were established in 1783 and 1785 respectively.