Group Activity

Group Activity What Do You Think? After carefully reading three case studies read the qualification of a judge given in this chapter. What kind of a person makes a good judge? Discuss with your team members. Write a paragraph not more than words on what your team would look for in a person before appointing him or her as a judge. Each group consists of members. Display your group work in the classroom Notice Board. local bodies like Ur, Urar, Nadu, Nattar and Nagarathar had their own judicial arrangements. The Buddhist kingdoms (like that of Asoka) mostly disregarded smritis and enforced some sort of equal treatment to various social groups in matters of judicial disputes. Asoka removed cruel punishments and even instructed his official to be more humane and compassionate towards prisoners. The episode involving Kovalan’s execution in Silappadikaram reveals the defects in the system of judicial procedure. Though high moral stature of the adjudicating officials were insisted in literature, we very often found arbitrariness in judicial trial and in awarding exemptions or punishments. There was no rule of law but rule of the powerful authorities that we find in ancient India. Trail by Balance: A palm leaf chit, with the alleged crime inscribed on it was placed on one side of the balance, and the accused was to sit on the other side of the balance. If the plate of the balance on while the accused came down, the accused was declared guilty Ordeal By Poison : The accused was made to consume poison and was deemed innocent only if did not have any effect on the person. Ordeal of Lot : The accused was asked draw from the lot and was deemed innocent if he chose the lot of dharma. Ordeal of Fountain - Cheese : The accused was compelled to drink a potion that could make him/her delirious and was deemed guilty if the person confessed the crime. Ordeal of Rice Grains : The accused was made to chow rice without the husk being removed and the presence