History

BRIEF HISTORY OF JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION IN BAGALKOT DISTRICT

Prior to the British Rule which, commenced from 1830 in parts of Bijapur including Bagalkot one can remember briefly that this territory was ruled by Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagar, Peshwas and Nawabs till when Marathas, i.e. Ghorpades and Patwardhans were ruling. So the States Jamkhandi, Mudhol, Tikota were allowed to be retained under the British Rule.
Till the British rule, it appears the Judicial system was called by ‘what is known as “Adalats”. The Bombay Govt. under the British rule adopted British System of ‘Judicial Administration’. The first enactment was ‘Bombay Regulation Act 1827’. There is a reference of Adalats in this Regulation. The British had continued the system of ‘Adalats; till they adopted ‘Civil Courts Act 1869.
To understand the Courts designated in this administration it is also necessary to note the changes of the District Head Quarters from time to time since 1830, when the British rule started. At first the part of old District of Bijapur to the north of Krishna river was divided in parts of Sholapur and Satara Districts. Bijapur and its Western parts were treated as Northern Maratha in Satara District. The parts of remaining area namely Indi, Sindagi, Basavana Bagewadi, Muddebihal were included in Sholapur District. The area to the South of Krishna River, viz. Badami, Hungund, Bilgi, Bagalkot talukas were in Belgaum District and later included in Dharwar District. Then Kaladagi District was formed in 1864. From that time onwards the judicial system on the basis of Criminal Administration was with Revenue Officers except Zilla Judge as he was then called the ‘Session Judge who was the appellate authority over decisions given by First Class Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates and District Magistrates. Under ‘Civil Courts Act’ Assistant Judges and Zilla Judge as appellate authority were dealing with civil disputes. Under this system the work of judicial administration was going on in the revenue districts as stated above and ultimately from 1855 this entire area of present Bijapur District and Bagalkot District came under Bijapur District Judge and with Sub-ordinate Courts of Sub Judges, excluding States of Mudhol, Jamkhandi and Tikota.
In the beginning, every taluka Mamledar was a First Class Magistrate. Only Sub-Judges II Courts were situated at Bijapur for Bijapur, Indi, Sindagi talukas, and at Muddebihal for Muddebihal and Bagewadi talukas and at Bagalkot for Bagalkot, Hungund, Badami and Bilgi. Only one Court of Sub-Judge of unlimited jurisdiction was at Bijapur for entire area.
It is only after re-organization that Civil Courts have been formed one after another for each taluka and Courts of Civil Judge Senior Division at Bagalkot, later at Jamkhandi. The talukas of Mudhol, and Jamkhandi came under Bijapur District only on the merger of states after 1948. Original State Courts were converted as ‘Civil Judges (Jr.Dn) Courts. Tikota State lost its Court and it was merged with Bijapur Taluka.
Both Administrations of Criminal and Civil Courts were combined since 1952 and the existing civil Judges were also converted as Judicial First Class Magistrates. The previous system of Criminal Administration consisting of three categories of Magistrates was abolished and only First Class Magistrates and District and Sessions Judges continued. On the Revenue side only executive system of Magistrates has been continued.
The Courts at Bagalkot under different districts as stated above had come into existence in 1864 though the Court building was constructed in 1887 and Addl. Court in 1935.
Bagalkot District Court is formly set up in 2001, after the newly created District, Bagalkot.
The Judicial Service in the Bagalkot District at present consists of: