LAW AND ORDER

LAW AND ORDER

The head of the judicial department was the chief qazi, who was styled as qazi-ul-qazat. He was responsible for the enforcement of Islamic law. He was aided by muftis who expounded the Quranic law. Every town had a qazi who was appointed by the Central government in consultation with the qazi-ul-qazat. The task of maintaining peace and order rested with the official known as the katwal aided by the muhatsib who was a censor of public morals. Amir-i-dad was responsible for apprehend­ing criminals. However, at village level, the panchayats
- settled disputes and arranged for policing their areas
through local watchmen known as chaukidars.
REVENUE POLICY In their fiscal policy, the sultans were guided by the Hanafi school of Sunni jurists. The revenue of the state was derived mainly from: (i) the zakat or religious tax levied upon well-to-do Muslims only; (ii) kharaj or tax on gross produce of lands of the non-Muslims; (iii) kham or the state's share of one-fifth of the spoils of the war; (iv) the ushraf or tax on gross produce of lands held by Muslims; and (v) jaziya or poll-tax imposed upon adult non-Muslim males. There were other taxes also like house tax, grazing tax, and octroi duties on income from mines, forests, etc.
The land revenue was the most important source of revenue. It was derived from the khalisa or crown lands and iqtas or territories granted to officers. The rate of assessment was unscientific and arbitrary. During Ala-ud-din Khalji's time it was fixed at 50 per cent of the gross produce. The bulk of the revenue was spent on the expenditure of the
army and the royal household.
THE ARMY The Delhi sultans maintained a strong army consisting of cavalry, infantry and elephants. There were four classes of army in the Sultanate era:
(i) Royal army It was the standing army of the Sultan.
The Royal army was a heterogeneous body consisting of Turks of various types such as the Tajiks, Persians, Mongols, Afghans, Abyssinians, Indian Muslims and the Hindus. The Royal army was called hashm-i-qalha, and was appointed by the central government.
(ii) Provincial governments' army The provincial governors and nobles had to maintain their own army. When needed, the provincial soldiers were handed over to the diwan-i-arij or the central army department.
,(iii) Holy War army It consisted of Muslim soldiers who joined the army as volunteers to fight wars against the Hindus. These soldiers did not get any regular pay, but were given a share out of the booty captured during war.
(iv) War time army It consisted of the soldiers recruited on a temporary 'basis in times of war. Cavalry was the backbone of the Sultanate's military strength. The army was organised on the decimal pattern.