Public Administration in Ancient India c13.32

c13.32

There were clerks (lekhakāḥ), messengers, and other inferior officers in each department. Though there was a Superintendent at the head of each department, the final control of the work of the department was vested in a Committee of three, four, or five men. Chānakya says: “The departments should be under the control of many chiefs (bahu-mukhya).” The Sukranīti offers the following advice: “Each department should be under the control of three persons.” ³ Megasthenes tells us that each of the departments was under the charge of a Committee of five men. In addition to these, a class of inspecting officers or directors (pradeṣṭāraḥ)¹ was sometimes appointed to supervise the work of all departments and to bring the work of each department into line with that of the others.