State and Government in Ancient India c22.s4.t2.7

c22.s4.t2.7

From Aśoka’s Rock Edict VI, it appears that the Council of Ministers continued its normal meetings even when the king was out on tour. In the absence of the king ministers often felt it difficult to pass final orders on difficult and delicate issues; Aśoka had left instructions that they should be immediately reported to him for decision. Conversely the oral orders issued by the king on tour were sometimes passed in hurry, and they came to the Council for final recording; very often the Council would on such occasions respectfully suggest a variation in the proposed course or even its abandonment.²