The judicial system in British India transformed significantly from the early 18th century onwards. The East India Company introduced a common-law based court structure in Madras, Bombay and Calcutta around 1726.

BulletsIn

Over decades, major reforms under Warren Hastings, Charles Cornwallis and others restructured judicial and revenue functions. Ultimately, codification and establishment of High Courts under acts like the Indian High Courts Act 1861 unified justice administration.

• The Company established courts in 1726 in Madras, Bombay and Calcutta, starting a common-law system in India.
• Pre-colonial courts varied widely: local panchayats, zamindars, qazi courts for Muslims; little uniformity.
•  Under Warren Hastings: District Diwani Adalats (civil) & Fauzdari Adalats (criminal) created; Sadar Nizamat Adalat handled major criminal appeals.
• Cornwallis reforms (1787–93): separated revenue from judicial work; introduced district judges; abolished collector’s judicial role.
• The Charter Act of 1833 created the Indian Law Commission (under Thomas Babington Macaulay) which led to key laws: IPC (1860), CrPC (1862) and others.
• Indian High Courts Act 1861 established High Courts in Bombay, Madras and Calcutta, replacing Supreme Court and Sadar Adalats.
• The Government of India Act 1935 created the Federal Court in 1937, which later became the Supreme Court of India in 1950.
• Positive outcomes: codified laws, unified system, jurisdiction over Europeans and Indians alike.
• Negative outcomes: complexity increased, legal costs rose, delays were common, European judges lacked local knowledge.