The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c7.s9.275

c7.s9.275

But where their financial position was not affected, they showed more consideration, for provision for the administration of criminal justice was made very soon after the acquisition of territory. In Sálsette and Karanja the Residents had from the first been empowered to investigate all offences and misdemeanors not capital with the assistance of two native assessors, while capital cases were sent to Bombay for trial by the Mayor's Court. In 1799 a Judge and Magistrate was appointed for the islands vested with civil criminal and police jurisdiction.⁴ In civil suits an appeal was reserved to the Governor in Council sitting as the Sadar Adálat, while the more serious criminal cases were committed to the Court of Session, which consisted of the Junior Member of Council and two civilians nominated for the occasion. Quarterly sessions were held at the stations of the Magistrates, and capital sentences required the confirmation of the Governor in Council. Provision was even made for the trial of suits against Government, and the jurisdiction of the Judge and Magistrate of Sálsette was in 1803 extended to Bánkot and its dependencies, and the Court required to sit in that district for 20 days in each year.⁵ In 1807 the junior member of Council became sole Session Judge of Sálsette.⁶ The arrangement however only lasted till 1810, and after that the Provincial Court of Circuit and Appeal at Surat received jurisdiction over Sálsette.⁷ By the same Act separate Magistrates were appointed for Karanja, as inconvenience was felt from the island being dependent on the periodical visits of the Sálsette Magistrates, and from there being no communication with the other stations for three months in each year. These arrangements continued till the cession and conquest of the rest of the Konkan in 1817-18, and the history of the district since that era may now be continued.