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Rh procedure in civil suits is not governed by the usual Civil Procedure Code, but by a simpler set of rules framed under section 6 of the Scheduled Districts Act. Rules under this same enactment have also been drawn up for the guidance of the Agent in other branches of the administration.

Outside the Agency, the civil tribunals of the district are of the usual four grades; namely, the courts of village and district munsifs, the Sub-Court and the District Court. District munsifs' courts have been established at Rajah- mundry, Cocanada, Peddápuram and Amalápuram. That at Amalápuram has a heavier file than any of the others. The Sub-Court is stationed at Cocanada. It was estab- lished in 1874. Another Sub-Court was in existence at Rajahmundry for a few months in 1895; began regularly working there in 1903; but was abolished in 1905.

The District Court is held at Rajahmundry. Before the district was reduced in size by the transfer to Kistna of the taluks south of the Gódávari, the file of this court was very heavy. In 1902 the number of suits instituted in, and of appeals disposed of by, it was greater than in any other District Court in the Presidency. As in other wealthy districts, the amount of litigation in Amount of Gódávari is great. In 1902, in the district as then constituted but excluding the Agency, more suits were instituted per unit of the population than in any other in the Presidency excepting Tanjore, North Malabar and Tinnevelly. In the Agency, on the other hand, litigation is rarer than in any other tract in Madras except the Agencies of Vizagapatam and Ganjám.

The registration of assurances is effected in the usual Registration, manner. A District Registrar is stationed at Cocanada and sixteen sub-registrars are located at Rajahmundry; at Amala- puram, Kottapeta and Mummidivaram in Amalapuram taluk; at Razole in Nagaram ; at Peddapuram and Prattipadu in Peddapuram; at Ramachandrapuram, Draksharamam, Alamur and Bikkavolu in Rámachandrapuram; at Cocanada and Coringa in Cocanada taluk; and at Polavaram, Pithapuram and Tuni. There are no sub-registrars in the Chodavaram or Yellavaram Agency tracts but in Bhadrachalam the Registra- tion Act was extended to certain villages in 1906 and the taluk sheristadar acts as sub-registrar. The criminal tribunals are of the same classes as elsewhere. Criminal The village magistrates have the usual powers, both within Justice. and outside the Agency. Bench Courts, invested with third- The various •=■ -' ' . Courts. class powers to try offences under the Towns Nuisances Act, the Municipalities Act and the conservancy clauses of the