State and Government in Ancient India c19.s1.14

c19.s1.14

For a long time there was a great misconception about the causes that were responsible for the widespread functioning of these popular courts. They were well-known to be functioning down to the beginning of the British rule, and they soon disappeared when it was well established. It was therefore argued by Sir Henry Maine and others that the prevailing anarchy in the country,² which did not allow any regular royal courts to function at the village level, was the main cause of their existence. As soon as law and order were established in the country and regular official courts began to function efficiently, these Panchāyat courts naturally died down.