AN ANALYSIS OF JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN MEDIEVAL INDIA (WITH REFERENCE TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM)

The Muslim polity was based on the concept of the legal sovereignty of the Shara or Islamic law. The political theory laid emphasis on the fact that all Muslims formed one congregation of the faithfuls and it was necessary for them to unite closely in the form of an organized community. Any attempt to break away from the organized community was condemned by the religion.All the members of the community elected the Khalifa or Caliph as the Commander of the faithfuls. It was made obligatory on all Muslims to owe allegiance to the Caliph who was their ruler. In India the Sultans of Delhi, though absolute regents, claimed to be the representatives of the Caliph. The paper intends to highlight the development of Criminal Justice System in Medieval India