Administrative System of the Marathas c19.s3.4

c19.s3.4

In modern times, although the parties cannot nominate the jury, they can considerably influence the empanelment by exercising the right of challenging a juryman. As the attendance of the members of a Panch depended simply upon their sense of duty and dread of public opinion, it was bound to be more or less irregular. And when they were nominated by the parties perhaps they sometimes acted more like pleaders than judges. They were also hampered by the absence of any authority on their part to enforce their decision. Their order unless vetoed by the government was enforced by the Mamlatdar who also placed at their disposal a peon for summoning the defendant and witnesses to their presence.