District and Sessions Judge Court, Ganjam at Berhampur

ABOUT DISTRICT COURT

Ganjam was originally formed a part of the southern kingdom of ancient and there were local kings in the charge of administration of Justice. The principal Judicial Officers of the kingdom were called the "Dewan" who used to dispose of both Civil and Criminal cases.

The British annexed Ganjam to their crown along with other Zamindars of Southern Orissa in the year 1766. But it was only in 1803, the British Govt appointed Collectors and they used to function as the head of administration of Justice. By that time collectors were dealing with both civil and criminal cases. The relevant record discloses that Peter Cherry was the first collector of the District of Ganjam and he was vested with Magisterial Power in 1816. Subsequently Ganjam and Vishakhapatnam Act 1839 came into force and the Collectors were considered the agents of the Governor having been vested with the powers to try and dispose of both the civil and criminal cases. Accordingly the Collector of the Ganjam District used to discharge his duties as Judcial head of the District for both Civil and Criminal cases, Collector's Courts was located at Ganjam till the year 1815 and thereafter it was shifted[...]