Munsif ordinarily means a judge. In sher shah's administration a munisf was an official in the pargana along with shiqdar, mushrif, karkun, and khazanchi. Shiqdar was the head of the administration. Karkun was a keeper of books of accounts and khazanchi was also the treasurer. Mushrif was also known as amin, ie the holder of a trust and munsif, ie the judge. The word munsif (and also the amin) signifies that the administration was just and impartial.

There was an officer known as Munsif-i-Munsifan (higher munsif) who was appointed in the Sarkar (a higher unit than Pargana).

Nowadays there is a functionary in Bengal who is called munsif, he is a judge in the subordinate civil court. [Abdul Karim]