State and Government in Ancient India c14.s2.17

c14.s2.17

It is thus clear that though the state was usually expected to enforce the customs and laws mentioned in Dharmaśāstra, it began to be invested with some powers to make its own regulations from about the 3rd century B. C. At the time when these powers were granted, *samitis* or Popular Assemblies had already disappeared from the scene, and so they came to be exercised by the king in consultation with his ministers.