Public Administration in Ancient India c23.27

c23.27

So far as their domestic affairs were concerned, the villagers, it seems, were not subject to vexatious interference from the central authorities. But every village formed an integral part of the general administrative system of the country. Above the village headman was the Circle Officer (Gopa) who was in charge of a number of villages, usually from five to ten in number, and whose duty it was to supervise the work of the headmen. A number of Circles formed a Division or District which, according to Chānakya, was to comprise one-fourth of the province (janapada).¹ The ruler of a Division or District (Sthānika) was subordinate to the Governor of the Province, who himself was subject to the Central Administration. In the Central Government, all matters relating to local administration were under the immediate control of one of the Ministers. Manu says: “The affairs of these (officials), which are connected with (their) villages, as well as their other affairs, shall be inspected by one Minister of the King (who must be) of a cheerful disposition and never remiss.”² Under Chānakya’s system, the Collector-general was to be in charge of this department.³