State and Government in Ancient India c12.s10.6

c12.s10.6

As there was no Popular Assembly functioning in our period, effective power in administration was usually shared by the king and his ministry. In some states and on some occasions the ultimate power rested with the king; it was then described as an *ātmāyatta* or king centred administration; in others it was vested in the ministry; it was then called a *sachivāyatta* or ministry-dominated administration. In majority of cases however effective power was shared by the king and his ministry; such an administration was called *ubhayāyatta*, dependent on the guidance of both the king and the ministry. The administrations during the first millennium belonged to one of these categories, the nature, capacity and ability of the two rival limbs of the body politic being the deciding factor.