Nelson in 1887, in a legal brief before the Madras High Court of British India, had stated, " there are various contradictions and inconsistencies in the Manu Smriti itself, and that these contradictions would lead one to conclude that such a commentary did not lay down legal principles to be followed but were merely recommendatory in nature . " Mahatma Gandhi remarked on the observed inconsistencies within Manusmriti as follows,
