The document summarizes the administration of justice in Bombay from 1668 to 1726. It describes how the Portuguese acquired the island of Bombay in 1534 and transferred it to the British East India Company in 1668. The judicial system in Bombay developed in three stages during this period. The first stage from 1668-1683 established courts with 5 judges in each of the island's two divisions. The second stage from 1684-1690 created a King's Bench and Court of Common Pleas. The third stage from 1718-1726 saw a court reappear with a chief justice and nine other judges, five of whom were British.

1. Administration of justice in Bombay 1668- 1726

2. ISLAND OF BOMBAY PORTUGUESE WERE THE FIRST EUROPEAN TO ACQUIRE THE ISLAND OF BOMBAY IN 1534, FROM THE KING OF GUJARAT. IN 1661, PORTUGUESE KING, ALFONSUS VI TRANSFERRED THE ISLAND TO CHARLES II AS DOWRY ON THE MARRIAGE OF HIS SISTER CATHERINE WITH THE BRITISH KING. CHARLES II TRANSFERRED IT TO THE EAST INDIA COMPANY IN 1668 FOR AN INSIGNIFICANT ANNUAL RENT OF 10 POUNDS.

3. JUDICIAL SYSTEM BEFORE 1726, THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN THE ISLAND OF BOMBAY GREW IN THREE STAGES: FIRST STAGE: 1668- 1683 SECOND STAGE: 1683- 1690 THIRD STAGE: 1718- 1726

4. FIRST PERIOD 1668- 1683 CHARTER OF 1668. JUDICIAL SYSTEM SURAT PRESIDENCY(GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL) BOMBAY

5. FIRST JUDICIAL SYSTEM GERALD AUNGIER, GOVERNOR OF SURAT, ARCHITECT OF FIRST JUDICIAL SYSTEM, IN 1670. BOMBAY DIVIDED INTO 2 DIVISIONS EACH DIVISION HAD ONE COURT WITH 5 JUDGES. THE CUSTOM OFFICER WAS TO BE PRISIDENT OF THE COURT.

6. JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF 1672 NEW SYSTEM CONSISTED OF GEORGE WILCOX AS JUDGE. THE COURT WAS TO HAVE JURISDICTION IN ALL CASES CIVIL, CRIMINAL, PROBATE AND TESTAMENTARY. BOMBAY WAS DIVIDED INTO 4 SECTIONS. JUSTICES OF PEACE WERE APPOINTED. COURT OF CONSCIENCE

7. SECOND PERIOD: 1684- 1690 DR. JOHN ST JOHN WAS A PERSON LEARNED IN THE CIVIL LAW. CHARTER OF 1683. KING’S BENCH OF COMMON PLEAS. 1690 BOMBAY ATTACKED BY ADMIRAL SIDDI. 1690- 1718 IS THE DARK PERIOD IN LEGAL HISTORY OF ISLAND. 1687 BOMBAY BECAME PRESIDENCY.

8. THIRD PERIOD: 1718- 1726 IN 1718, A COURT APPEARED AGAIN IN BOMBAY WITH CHIEF JUSTICE AND NINE OTHER JUDGES, OF WHOM 5 WERE BRITISH. INDIANS WERE CALLED BLACK JUSTICES. AWARDED IMPRISONMENT ‘DURING PLEASURE’, WHICH MEANT INDEFINITE PERIOD OF INCARCERATION.

9. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AT CALCUTTA 1690- 1726 MUGHAL JUDICIAL SYSTEM. KAZIS AND COURTS. NAWAB’S COURTS.