Coll 25/18 'Orders-in-Council: Qatar: Jurisdiction over foreigners in Qatar' [‎11r] (21/635)

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Paut IV.—Civil Matters.
33.—(i) Subject to the other provisions ot this Order, the Code of
Civil i loeedme and the other Indian enactments relating to the udniinis-*
tiauon oi civil justice ana to insolvency and bankruptcy, shall have
etiect as if Qatar were a district in the Province of Bombay. The Politi-
• cai Agent shall be deemed to be the District Judge, and liis Court shall
be deemed to be the District or Principal Civil Court of Original Jurisdic
tion m the distiict, the Judicial Assistant to the Political liesident shall
lie deemed to be an additional District Judge, and his Court shall be
deemed to be an additional District Court oi Original Civil Jurisdiction;
the Couit of the I olitical liesident shall be deemed to be the highest
t i\il Couit of Appeal for the district, and the Court authorised to hear
appeals tiom the decisions of the District Court; and the powers both of
the Central Government and the Provincial Government under those
enactments shall be exercisable by the Secretary of State or, with his
previous or subsequent assent, by the Governor-General of India in
Council.
(2) Any jurisdiction exercisable by the Chief Court under this Order
in civil matteis may be exercised by the Judge of that Court, either wilhin
the limits of this Order or elsewhere.
39. When a suit between persons to whom this Order applies is filed
in the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. shall enquire from the
several parties whether they desire that proceedings shall be instituted
in accordance with the Code of Civil Procedure and the Indian enact-
nients made applicable to Qatar, or in accordance with local usage, and
shall record their replies.
40. When any of the several parties desire that the suit shall be deter
mined in accoi dance with the Gode of Civil Procedure and other enact
ments made applicable to Qatar, the District Court -shall forthwith
proceed to decide the suit in accordance with the provisions of such enact
ments, as far as local conditions permit.
Nothing in this article shall prevent the District Court frorfi referring
any matter in the progress of a suit which involves a point of Muharm
mad an law to a Qazi for a decision, or from sending any party or witness,
being a Muhammadan, to a Qazi for the administration of\an oath; or
from referring any matter in the progress of a suit between parties belong
ing to the same community which, in the discretion of the Court, is a fit
and proper subject for the decision of the local leaders of that community,
to a punch or jama’at of the leaders of such community; or, in commercial
cases, from referring any matter in the progress of a suit which, in the
discretion of the Court, is a fit and proper subject for the decision of the
principal local merchants to a majlis or jama’at of such merchants.
41-—(1) The Foreign Jurisdiction (Admiralty) Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. ,
1910,(a) shall apply to Qatar, and the Chief Court shall have the juris
diction conferred by Article 4 of that Order, and the District Court shall
be deemed to be a Provincial Court, and the Registry thereof a District
Registry within the meaning of the said Order.