State and Government in Ancient India c18.s1.31

c18.s1.31

Jātakas inform us that neither the village headman nor the village accountant ruled over the village community according to the their sweet will. They were both of them guided in the administration by the opinion of the village public, which made itself felt through the village elders, who formed a kind of informal council since very early times. We have shown already how the *sabhā* of the Vedic period was both a village social club as well as a village council ; at its meetings, the members discussed social topics, played indoor games and also transacted the business of the village government.¹ Jātakas inform us that villages transacted their business themselves.² They do not attest to the existence of any regular council or standing committee evolved for this purpose. Initiative was usually left with the headman, but if he acted unreasonably or against the the established customs of the locality or realm, the village elders could set the matter right by pointing out his mistake to the headman.³ In the Mauryan period villages used to organise works of public utility and recreation, settle the disputes between their residents and act as trustees for the property of minors.⁴ But they had not yet evolved regular councils ; for the *Arthaśāstra* refers to village elders acting as trustees, and not to any village council⁵ or its sub-committee.