State and Government in Ancient India c15.110

c15.110

Under normal circumstances, we may, however, presume that the ministry acted in a body and was jointly consulted. A unanimous decision of the ministry arrived at after full discussion and in consonance with the dictates of the science of polity was highly valued.¹ Kauṭilya recommends that even on critical occasions, the king should usually accept the advice of the ministry or the view of its majority, though it was open for him to adopt a course which he thought to be most advantageous.²