Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c43.71

c43.71

Cf. Śivājī's *Ashta-Pradhana*. "The Civil organization of the District was, of course, subordinate to the authorities at head-quarters, two of whom—the Pant Amatya and the Pant Sachiv, had respectively the charge of what in our time would be called the office of Finance Minister and the General Accountant and Auditor. The district accounts had to be sent to these officers, and were there collated together, and irregularities detected and punished. These officers had power to depute men on their establishments to supervise the working of the district officers. The Pant Amātya and the Sachiv were, next to the Peshwa, the highest civil officers, and they had, besides these revenue duties, military commands. They were both important members of the Board of Administration, called the *Ashta Pradhān* or Cabinet of eight heads of departments. The Peshwa was Prime Minister, next to the King, and was at the head of both the civil and military administrations, and sat first on the right hand below the throne. The Senāpati was in charge of the military administration, and sat first on the left side. *Amātya* and *Sachiv* sat next to the Peshwa, while the Mantrī sat next below the Sachiv, and was in charge of the King's private affairs The Sumant was Foreign Secretary, and sat below the Senāpati on the left. Next came Pandit-rao, who had charge of the ecclesiastical department, and below him on the left side sat the Chief Justice, [= *Nyāyādhīśa*.]" Ranade, *Rise of Maratha Power*, pp. 125-6.