JUSTICE IN NEPAL. 



115 



But this is neither the principal nor only delivery held during the year. 

 In fact, the idea of periodical deliveries belongs to a system of migratory 

 courts not always sitting, as that of regular deliveries does to an accurate 

 system. The Nepalese system of judicial administration is neither ambu- 

 latory nor accurate : but it has few and trivial delays, and offenders are 

 speedily dealt with by judges who are always at their post, neither having 

 vacations nor making circuits." 



When they amount to twenty or thirty, the DitJia makes oiit a calendar 

 of their crimes, and adds thereto their confessions and statements of the cus- 

 tomary punishments inflicted in such cases. This list the Ditha carries to 

 the Bharaddr Sahha, (Council of State) whence it is taken by the Premier 

 to the Prince, after the Ditlms allotment of punishment to each convict has 

 been ratified or another punishment substituted. The list so altered or 

 ratified in the Council of State and referred by the Premier to the Prince 

 is, as a matter of form, sanctioned by the Prince — after which it is re- 

 delivered to the Ditha ; who makes it over to the Araz-begi — the Araz-hegi 

 taking the prisoners and the Malian Naikiahs, and some men of the Porya'^ 

 caste with him, proceeds to the banks of the BisJienmoti, where the sentence 

 of the law is inflicted by the hands of Poryas, and in presence of the Araz- 

 bSgi and Mahdn Naikiahs. Thus are grave offences involving the penalty of 

 life or limb treated. 



§ 13. Fees, Costs and Fines. 

 No fee is taken from a plaintiff on the occasion of his commencing his 

 pleading, or exhibiting a document. In civil causes, wherein the plaintiff's 

 ground of action is not denied by the defendant and consequently it needs 

 only to compel the latter to liquidate a claim of which he does not dispute 

 the justice, dasond-bisond, or five per cent, to ten per cent, according to 

 circumstances of the amount of property, as has been explained in the 

 description of the procedure of a civil cause, is taken from the parties. 



* The vilest of the vile. 



