[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [State and Government in Ancient India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.altekar-1949) › c19.12 # State and Government in Ancient India c19.12 State and Government in Ancient India c19.12 - **Language:** English ### [c19.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.altekar-1949.c19.12) The Dharmaśāstra and Nītiśāstra literature regards the king as the fountain source of all justice. His time table required him to spend every day about a couple of hours in adjudication.² In theory the king could entertain any suit, but in actual practice he could have looked into only the important cases from the capital. He was often too busy to do even this and used to delegate the work to the chief justice or to some other royal officer. - [Previous: c19.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.altekar-1949.c19.11) - [Next: c19.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.altekar-1949.c19.13) - [Up: c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.altekar-1949.c19) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.altekar-1949.c19.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.altekar-1949.c19.12) · Pramāṇa