Mughal Empire

• Babur : 1526-1530
• Humayun: 1530-1540 & 1555-56
• Akbar: 1556-1605
• Jahangir : 1605-1627
• Shahjahan: 1628-1658
• Aurangzeb: 1658-1707
Later Mughals:1707-1857
Mughal Administration
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 Central Administration
Vakil: revenue and military affairs

Diwan or Wazir: Revenue minister

Mir-Bakshi: head of military and intelligence

With the assistance of barids and waqui-navis
Mir-Saman: he was in charge of the imperial
household

Sadar-us-Sudur: Chief adviser of king in

religious matters.
Other officials
Mir-i-Atish: head of ordinance department
Mir-i-Bahr: Supervised state boats and fleets
Daroga-i-dak chauki: in charge of information and
intelligence

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 Sultanate Sultan

Subha Subahdar

Sarkar Fouzdar

Paragana Shiqdar

Panchayat
makhadam
 Khalipha King
Sultanate Sultante
King King
Iquta Subha
Iqitadar Subahdar
Shiqq Sarkar
Shiqdar Fouzdar
Paragana Paragana
Amil Shqdar
Panchayat Panchayat
 Divided empire into Subhas or
provinces

Each suba had…

Governor
waqya
nawis
Diwan
Bakshi Qazi
 Each Sarkar had…

Kotwal
Faujudar Law and judicial
General

Amal Guzar Potedar

revenue Bitikchi Tax collection
record
• Every province was divided into Sarkars (
districts)
• Faujudar: he was the district level administrative
head.
• He was under the direct control of Diwan, who
was the head of Revenue department at central
level.
• Amal Guzar: in charge of revenue of
administration
• Bitikchi: he was assistant of Amal Guzar, worked
as record keeper of land revenue.
• Potedar: Tax collector
• Kotwal: he was responsible for maintenance of
Law and order and judicial head of town.
 Paragana: or Mahal
• District was further sub divided in to Paraganas
• Shiqdar: Law and order
• Amil : Revenue collection
• Kanungo: record keeper
Panchayats ( Village)
• These panchayats were fully independent bodies
• Sarpanch: head of panchayat and elected by public
• Patwari: village accountant
• Panchayats were also enjoyed certain judicial power
and decided minor disputes.
Mughals judicial system

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 Emperor's Court
Chief Justice Court
Chief revenue Court

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 Emperor's Court
Original and appellate jurisdiction
Dharoga –e-Adalat
( Investigation officer)
Mufti
Mir Adal
Mohtasib-e-Mumalik
Attorney general
• a bench consisting of the Chief Justice and other
Qazis of the Chief justice’s court assisted king.
• The public was allowed to make representation and
appeals to the Emperor's Court in order to obtain
his impartial judgement.
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 Chief justice court
(Civil and criminal)
Qazi-ul-Qzat
2 Qazi
Daroga –e-Adalat, Mufti, Mir Adal

Court for Revenue

Diwani-e-Ala

Military Court
Qazi-e-Askar
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 Provincial Courts
Adalat –e-Nizam-e-Subha
Original and appellate
Chief justice court
Qazi-e-Subha
Original, civil and criminal jurisdiction
Chief revenue court
Diwan-e-Subha
Appeals from revenue courts

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 District ( sarkar)
Qazi-e-Sarkar
Civil and criminal
Darogha, Mir Adal, Mufti, Pandit , Mhotasib, Vakil-e-Sharayat
Faujdari –e-Adalat
Crimes against state security and revolt
Kotwali e-sarkar
Police cases with in the town
Amalguzari
Revenue court
Amil
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Paragana courts
Adalat-e-Paragana
Kotwali
Kotwali-e-paragana
Kachehri
Amin

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 Institution of lawyers (Vakil)
• Litigations were presented before the court by
professional legal exerts.

• Two Indian Muslim codes Fiqh-e-Firoz Shahi and

Fatwa-e-Alamgiri, clearly state the duties of Vakil.

• Government advocates were for the first time

appointed in the reign of Shah Jahan to defend
civil suits against the state.

• Full-time lawyers were appointed in every district

during Aurangazeb reign.
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Chief justice and other judges were appointed
by the Emperor.

Some times chief justice and judges were

directly appointed from amongst the eminent
lawyers.

Men of high scholarship and reputed sanctity of

character were chosen as judges.

Lawyers were also appointed as chief Mohtasib

of the province.
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 Kings Court Emperor's Court
Diwan-e-Risalat Original and appellate jurisdiction

Diwan-e-Mazalim Dharoga –e-Adalat

Mufti, Mir Adal
2 Mufti
Mohtasib-e-Mumalik
Chief Justice Court
Chief justice court
(Qazi-ul-Qazat)
(Secular court)
Qazi-ul-Qzat
Mufti, Pandit 2 Qazi
Mohtasib:in change of Daroga –e-Adalat, Mufti, Mir Adal
prosecutions Revenue court
Dadbak: administrative of Diwani-e-Ala
officer of court.
Military court
Sadre Jahan’s Court
Qazi-e-Askar
Religious court
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 Provincial courts
Governor’s Court Governor’s Court
Adalat Nizam Subah Adalat –e-Nizam-e-Subha

Chief justice court Chief justice court

Adalat -Qazi-e-Subah Qazi-e-Subha

Chief revenue court Chief revenue court

Diwan-e-Subha Diwan-e-Subha
Appeals from revenue
Sadr-e-Subha courts
Ecclesiastical officer of
the province
 District courts
Shiq Qazi’s court sarkar
Mufti, Pandit, Mohtasib Qazi-e-Sarkar
and Dadbak Darogha, Mir Adal, Mufti, Pandit ,
Faujdar Court Vakil-e-Sharayat

petty criminal cases in the Faujdari –e-Adalat

towns ( security ) Crimes against state security
and revolt
Sadre Court
Amalguzari
grant of land registration of
land Revenue court
Amil
Amil’ Court
land revenue cases Kotwali e-sarkar
Kotwal’s Court Police cases with in the
town
petty criminal cases and 24
 Paragana courts
Qazi-e-paragana Adalat-e-Paragana
Civil and criminal Kachehri
jurisdiction Amin
Kotwali
Kotwal Court Kotwali-e-paragana
Petty criminal cases

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