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The ‘revenue officers were gradually regaining
all their authority during this period. In 1794 courts
were empowered to refer to the collectors all cases
which, before the new system, were cognizable by
them, and upon their reports the Judges decided. In
1794 and 1799 the revenue officers obtained power
to dispose in a summary way of all questions relating
to matters affecting the land revenue system, their
decisions being subject to contest by regular suit.
In 1831 the power of the civil court was limited to
revising summary decisions of revenue officers solely
on the ground of the case not being of a nature
cognizable as a summary suit ; in cognizable cases the
summary decision could not be contested in a civil
court; and thus, under the cover of summary procedure,
 the collectors regained almost the whole of
their lost power in rent and revenue cases.
The principle laid down in 1787 was not, however,
 openly contested until 1857, when a Bill was
introduced into the legislative council of India
with a view to enlarge and define the jurisdiction
of collectors with respect to summary suits for arrears
or exactions of rent, and generally with respect
to the law regulating the relations of landlord and
tenant. The collector was considered to be the
person most deeply interested in promoting this
branch of the administration. of civil justice, being
best acquainted with the fiscal state of the district;
with the tenures prevailing in it, and with the
character of the landlords. The Bill gave to the revenue