The Department of Justice was the most ill organized department of the Sultanate of Delhi. The Sultan dispensed justice through the Diwan-i-Qaza. He also gave justice through the agency of Diwan-i-Mazalim. Muhammad Tughluq set up a separate department called Diwan-i- Siyasat.
The Diwan-i-Mazalim was presided over by the Amir-i-Dad. This was so when the Sultan was not present in person. Ibn Batuta tells us that Muhammad Tughluq personally heard complaints on every Monday and Thursday. The Sultan sat on a high throne, surrounded by his bodyguard and officers.
The Qazi-i-Mumalik sat at the side of the Sultan to give him legal advice. On days when the Sultan did not sit in public, the Hajibs received the complaints and passed them on to the chief Hajib who submitted them to the Sultan. The Governors were required to sit as courts of Mazalim. They were helped by the Sahib-i-Diwan and the Qazi. The courts of Mazalim heard complaints against officials.
The Diwan-i-Qaza had contacts with the departments of Siyasat and Mazalim but its main concern was civil litigation. It may be said that Qaza dealt with camion law and Siyasat and Mazalim dealt with administrative law. The head of the Diwan-i-Qaza was the Qazi-i-Mumalik, also known as Qazi-ul-Qazat. The same person was also appointed Sadr-us-Sadur. The chief Qazi was given a salary of 26,000 Tankas a year under Muhammad Tughluq.
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He was in charge of the whole legal system and the administration of religious affairs. He heard appeals from the lower courts and appointed the local Qazis. Great importance was attached to the Qazi of Delhi. Ibn Batuta was appointed the Qazi of Delhi by Muhammad Tughluq and was addressed as “Our lord and master.”
There was a Qazi in every town and his duty was to settle disputes, supervise and manage the property of orphans and lunatics, execute testamentary dispositions and supervise Waqaf. He was required to help destitute widows to find suitable husbands. He was responsible for street maintenance etc.
All contested property was deposited with the Qazi or his nominee. It was the duty of the local governors and officials to help the Qazi in maintaining the dignity of law and to co-operate with him in bringing wrong-doers to their senses. The Qazis were not under the Governors as they were directly appointed by the Central Government.
The Amir-i-Dad was associated with justice. He presided over the court of Mazalim in the absence of the Sultan. When the Sultan was present in person. Amir-i-Dad was responsible for its executive and administrative business. Ordinarily, a man of high rank was appointed as Amir-i-Dad as he had to try complaints against governors and big commanders. Muhammad Tughluq paid his Amir-i-Dad 50,000 Tankas. Amir-i-Dad had his assistants in the provinces. He looked after the executive side of justice.
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It was his duty to see that the decisions of the Qazi were carried out. Amir-i-Dad was also responsible for the proper maintenance of mosques, bridges and public buildings, city walls and gates. He controlled the Kotwal, the police and the Muhtasib. His office kept copies of the documents registered with the Qazi. It was his duty to forbid a covenant which violated law.
The Sultan believed in the view that a dominion could subsist in spite of misbelieve, but it could not endure with the existence of injustice. The officials were generally chosen for their learning and piety. Some Sultans set a high example of justice. Balban is said to have inflicted extreme penalty on a governor who was guilty of murder when he was drunk. Muhammad Tughluq appeared as a defendant in the court of Qazi and when the case was proved against him, he insisted on the penalty.
Many instances have been given by Ibn Batuta which shows that Muhammad Tughluq had great respect for law. The Qazi was not allowed to get up when the Sultan entered his court. A man complained that the Sultan owed him money. The Sultan appeared before the Qazi and paid the debt. Firuz Shah did not hesitate to execute a favorite who was found guilty of murder.