Public Administration in Ancient India c23.41

c23.41

This Superintendent was perhaps the President of the City Board. From Megasthenes we know that the government of the capital city was conducted by a Municipal Board consisting of thirty members, divided into six Committees of five members each. The members of the first Committee looked after everything relating to the industrial arts. Those of the second attended to the affairs of foreigners. The third Committee enquired into births and deaths, with the view not only of levying taxes, but also in order that births and deaths might not escape the cognizance of Government. The fourth Committee superintended trade and commerce. Its members had charge of weights and measures, and it was their duty to see that the products in their season were sold by public notice. They also issued trade licenses, no one being allowed to deal in more than one commodity unless he paid a double tax. The fifth body supervised manufactured articles, which were to be sold only in public. What was new was to be sold separately from what was old, and there was a fine for mixing the two together. The sixth Committee consisted of members who collected the tenths of the prices of the articles sold. Such were the functions which these Committees separately discharged. In their collective capacity they had charge of the general affairs of the city, and looked after such things as the keeping of public buildings in proper repair, the regulation of prices, the care of markets, harbours, and temples.¹