Legal Laws Around Sikh Kingdom Shere Punjab?

[SAadmin]

I had this question in my mind for longest time. I wanted to find out, what were the legal laws if any around time of Sikh Kingdom Shere Punjab run by maharaja ranjit singh ji?. Can anyone who have done research on this topic, shed some light on this? were they fully secular accommodated for all cultures, religions of that region? or were they influenced by religions ie - sharia?

Please share your input in this. I am currently researching on this, i ll ask few learned gyanis in my area.

[amardeep]

Was'nt it run under the rehit given in Prem Sumarag?

[HSD1]

i thought that maharaja ranjit just made it up as he went along. his governors, lords and magistrates also had a lot of leeway in what they could do. regardless of this it was still a fairly just system of government and far outstripped the 'smash and grab' attitude the british had across the border.

[Matheen]

Historical documents show that there was religious tolerance - many ministers were Muslim and Hindu. There must be documents somewhere outlining the law - maybe if you contact Patiala University or even University of Punjab (Lahore & Chandigarh) someone might have more info.

It is still impossible to access official British documents relating to the Anglo-Sikh wars but the punjabheritage.org guys might be able to get you some stuff.

[shaheediyan]

Lord of the Five Rivers (French sources of Indian history) by Jean Marie Lafont - covers much of the administrative measures in Maharaja Ranjit Singhs rule.

Also get hold of Umdat Ut Tawarikh (Daftar) which was written in the Maharajas Darbar and also gives much info on his rule/policies etc.

[SURYADEV]

Historical documents show that there was religious tolerance - many ministers were Muslim and Hindu. There must be documents somewhere outlining the law - maybe if you contact Patiala University or even University of Punjab (Lahore & Chandigarh) someone might have more info.

It is still impossible to access official British documents relating to the Anglo-Sikh wars but the punjabheritage.org guys might be able to get you some stuff.

Regarding historical docs. I read an article a while back (cant remember where) lamenting the fact that there are many. many paper court/administrative records from the Sikh Raj that are just turning to dust on the shelves of Lahore Uni or Museum or Library. None of these have been digitised , let alone studied. And slowly they are turning to dust.

[Guest]

Thanks for your feedback guys. I will look into sources which were given. I am also wondering, if during maharaja ranjit singh Sikh kingdom rule of sheraie punjab, death penalty was served for criminals who committed rape, murder? or was it life in imprisonment?

can anyone enlighten on this?

[tonyhp32]

As the majority of population at that time lived in villages, then the main recourse to right a wrong would have been the Panchayats. In the towns each biradri would have a panchayat which would deal with the civil legal affairs within the biradri. The State would only be concerned with capital offences such as murder, rioting etc. The government functionaries such as the Kirdars would be responsible for ensuring peace in their area. The Governors would pass judgement on cases and these could very well be determined by who could give the most in bribes. The Muslims would still be able to go to Qadis with regard to their own religious affairs, the capital provisions of Sharia would not have been allowed to be enforced. Death sentences could only be given by the State. In the Malwa areas before the British protectorate was established only the Rajas had the right to give the death sentence. When the British protection was declared in 1809, this right was taken away although after 1857 it was given back to some of the states.

Edited September 20, 2009 by tonyhp32

[singh2]

There is a book " Country of the sikhs" by Lt colonel Steinbach. It says that sikh kingdom was divided into provinces. The law and order was the subject of province and Governor of province was responsible for maintaining that. He was also responsible for raising revenue for Ranjit singh by levying taxes on farmers. There was a fixed amount to be submitted to the Govt.

It says that there were hardly any written rules. Ranjit singh used to hold court himself and important cases were heard by him and then decided on the spot. Cases pertaining to foreign affairs were decided by him.

[GtLoc]

My grandfather told me he heard that people would be put in a stockade for not paying land tax and would be let go when they did. They had them in the village chowk. He's 101 but I think actually only 97 or 99 but yea I think kost of it was just common principle. It's our society, we place more importance on the justice, rather than the political games behind the paperwork like the British/Hindus do.

[Amarjeet Singh_1737]

I had this question in my mind for longest time. I wanted to find out, what were the legal laws if any around time of Sikh Kingdom Shere Punjab run by maharaja ranjit singh ji?. Can anyone who have done research on this topic, shed some light on this? were they fully secular accommodated for all cultures, religions of that region? or were they influenced by religions ie - sharia?

Please share your input in this. I am currently researching on this, i ll ask few learned gyanis in my area.

Victor Jacquemont cites that the commercial practice of Radical Islam was forbidden.

'The population is a mixture of different people and religions. Hindus and Muhammadans are less common than Sikhs, in whose hands is practically all of the business, to the prosperity of which Amritsar owes it flourishing appearance. There are also a large number of Kashmiris and Afghans; the former weave or spin, the latter speculate. There is not a single mosque, and the public practice of the Muhammadan religion is forbidden. The Hindu temples are small and scarce. The religion of Nanak admits no rivals at Amritsar.'

Whereas many Hindus would ardently convert just to dispatch their Islamic tyrants to Allah and escape the befuddlement of Varna, it seems the strong psychopathy invoked by the Sharia was present even historically and subsequently oppressed.

[Guest]

Bump.

[Balkaar]

Thanks for your feedback guys. I will look into sources which were given. I am also wondering, if during maharaja ranjit singh Sikh kingdom rule of sheraie punjab, death penalty was served for criminals who committed rape, murder? or was it life in imprisonment?

 

can anyone enlighten on this?

​Neither rape nor murder carried the death penalty under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Amputation of a limb was the retribution of the killer of the debaucher. Attempting violence against the Emperor himself wasn't even punishable by death, only by the removal of part of the nose, as an unfortunate Nihang high on Degh discovered after barging into the royal tent. 

Intriguingly, the only offence for which one would be put to death by the state was the slaughter of cows. I wonder whether this was out of deference to the Hindu subjects of the realm, but this raises the question of why the Maharaja did not extend a similar courtesy to his Muslim subjects, who were far more numerous, by outlawing the slaughter and consumption of pigs. 

Generally, the judiciary of the Sarkaar-e-Khalsa was quite relaxed. I don't know that most common misdemeanors were punished in any official capacity. Things were wonderfully liberal. Certain Akali Nihangs considered themselves religious enforcers, and acted as an unofficial and impromptu rehat police, reacting violently at the sight of tobacco smokers for instance. 

Edited June 11, 2015 by Balkaar

[SikhKhoj]

***

Edited June 11, 2015 by SikhKhoj

[Guest]

Thanks for your post balkar veer. Can you cite any source(books/articles) of contents in your post? or you heard this from oral traditions?

Btw- amazing picture of sant ji, i am curious to know which mahapurkh picture is in your avatar? Please feel free to use our saint section to introduce this mahapurh, their bachans in our saint section-

http://www.sikhawareness.com/forum/7-saints-way-of-living/

[Balkaar]

Thanks for your post balkar veer. Can you cite any source(books/articles) of contents in your post? or you heard this from oral traditions?

Btw- amazing picture of sant ji, i am curious to know which mahapurkh picture is in your avatar? Please feel free to use our saint section to introduce this mahapurh, their bachans in our saint section-

http://www.sikhawareness.com/forum/7-saints-way-of-living/

Bhai Sahib, ​I recall having read these things in Patwant Singh's Empire of the Sikhs and the books published by Kashi House. 

"... if any crime was committed, he would see that due punishment was exacted by the removal of a nose, ear or limb according to the seriousness of the crime." (Empire of the Sikhs, page 103)

The account of the assault upon the Maharaja's person was written by Ranjit Singh's European personal physician Johan Martin Honigberger in his book Thirty Five Years in the East. 

As for Nihang Singhs imposing their own justice on smokers, there is an amusing story cited in Warrior Saints: Four Centuries of Sikh Military Tradition, on page 119, which pertains to the subject. The Hungarian artist August Theodor Schoefft absent-mindedly placed his pencil in his mouth while finishing off a sketch, and was given a thorough beating by Akali Nihangs who mistook it for a cigarette. He eventually liberated himself from his aggressors and sought out sanctuary in the home of a theologian. Later on in Delhi, as a way of exacting vengeance, he produced a painting of a Nihang Singh about to be strangled by hookah-smoking thugees.  

The Mahapurakh in my avatar is Sant Baba Ghanaya Singh Ji Pathlawa, he is little known outside of the pind in Nawanshahr that is his namesake. 

Edited June 11, 2015 by Balkaar

[dalsingh101]

Bhai Sahib, ​I recall having read these things in Patwant Singh's Empire of the Sikhs and the books published by Kashi House. 

"... if any crime was committed, he would see that due punishment was exacted by the removal of a nose, ear or limb according to the seriousness of the crime." (Empire of the Sikhs, page 103)

The account of the assault upon the Maharaja's person was written by Ranjit Singh's European personal physician Johan Martin Honigberger in his book Thirty Five Years in the East. 

As for Nihang Singhs imposing their own justice on smokers, there is an amusing story cited in Warrior Saints: Four Centuries of Sikh Military Tradition, on page 119, which pertains to the subject. The Hungarian artist August Theodor Schoefft absent-mindedly placed his pencil in his mouth while finishing off a sketch, and was given a thorough beating by Akali Nihangs who mistook it for a cigarette. He eventually liberated himself from his aggressors and sought out sanctuary in the home of a theologian. Later on in Delhi, as a way of exacting vengeance, he produced a painting of a Nihang Singh about to be strangled by hookah-smoking thugees.  

The Mahapurakh in my avatar is Sant Baba Ghanaya Singh Ji Pathlawa, he is little known outside of the pind in Nawanshahr that is his namesake. 

​I think you might have generalised very specific incidents into wider policies?

[SikhKhoj]

^ That.