Administrative System of the Marathas c25.s1.5

c25.s1.5

For the judicial authority of the village and district officers also, the Maratha system had the sanction of the old Hindu works. For we read in the Vishnu Smriti "If any offence has been committed in a village, let the lord of that village suppress the evil and (give redress to those that have been wronged). If he is unable to do so, let him announce it to the lord of ten villages; if he too is unable, let him announce it to the lord of a hundred villages; if he too is unable, let him announce it to the lord of the whole district." The lord of the whole district must eradicate the evil to the best of his power." The same procedure is recommended by the sage of the Mahabharata. The question of civil procedure and evidence shall be discussed later, but it will not be out of place here to examine the antiquity of the punishments inflicted on convicted criminals.