Administrative System Under the Mauryas

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1. Administrative System:
Under the Mauryas
Dr. Virag Sontakke
Assistant Professor
Center for Advanced Studies
Department of A.I.H.C. & Archaeology,
Banaras Hindu University

2. Administrative System:
Under the Mauryas

3. Introduction
•Indianhistoryenteredintoanewerawiththebeginningofthe
MauryanEmpire.
•ForthefirsttimeIndiaattainedpoliticalunityandadministrative
uniformity.
•Coveredvastgeographicalareawhichattainedneitherearliernor
afterwards
•Mauryansdevelopedawellorganizedandanelaboratesystemof
administration.
•TherewascentraladministrationdirectlyundertheKing.

4. GeographicalExtent of
Mauryan Empire

5. Sources
1.Arthashashtra
2.Greek Historians
3.Megasthenes
4.Jataka Tells
5.Buddhist Text
6.Ashokan
Inscriptions

6. Nature of State
•MauryanstatewasKingship
•Kingwaschiefandsupremeleaderofthestate
•Generally,eldersonbecameking
•Hereditaryinnature.
•Kingswerestudiedpolitical,economical,defensivetacticsetc.from
childhood
•CrownprinceappointedasGovernortogainadministrativeexperience.
•Theywereactivelyparticipatedinadministration.

7. Role of King King
Supreme executive
Legislative
MinistersOfficers
Judicial powers Military

8. Duties of the King
1.Chief of the empire
2.Head of all administration
3.He selected Ministers
4.Distributed portfolios
5.Head of the Military
6.Head of Judicial
7.Head of the Revenue
Arthshashtra: his schedule was highly busy.
Ashok Edicts: “King was act as a father of citizens” King was a guardian
of people.

9. Mauryan Administration
King
Central Administration
Provincial AdministrationDistrict AdministrationsCity Administration
Village Administration

10. Central Administration
•TheKingwastheChiefauthorityoftheMauryan
administration.
•Hehadthesupremeexecutive,legislative,andjudicialpowers
vestedinhim.
•HewasselectedMantriparishada(councilofministers)and
ministers
•Kingspolicieswereregulatedbyministers
•AdministrationofMauryanempirewasdividedintovarioussub
divisions.

11. Whole Area
Staes
Commissionerate
Districts
Cities
400 Villages
200 Villages
10 Villages
1 village

12. Mantriparishada(Council of ministers)
•Mantrimandalwasanessentialpartofadministrations.
•PostofPrimeMinisterswasaboveall
•KautilyawasPrimeministerduringChandragupta.
•Numberofministerswasnotcertain
•Therewasacabinetcommitteeofselectedministerstodiscusson
confidentialissues
•Meetingsofministerswerehappensregularly
•Inthetimeofemergencysuddenmeetingswerealsocalled
•Decisionsweretakenbymajority
•However,kingholdthefinalrightsasachief
•Intheabsenceofkingspolicymaterwerenotdiscussed

13. Central Administration
•Numbersofofficerswerenotcertainandvaried
•Therewasawellorganizedhierarchyofbureaucrats,
•Bureaucratslookedaftertheexecutive,judicial,andrevenueoffices.
•Theentireadministrationsystemwasorganizedintodepartments,eachofwhichwasheadedbyaSuperintendent,knownas‘Adhyaksha.’
•TheAdhyakshawasassistedbyclerks,accountants,andspies.
•Inaddition,thereweretwopostsofhighofficials,namelythe‘Samaharta’andthe‘Sannidhata.’
•TheSamaharta:wasthecollectorgeneralofrevenue.
•Hehadcontrolovertheexpenditurepartalso.
•TheSannidhata:wastheofficer-in-chargeofthetreasuryandstore.
•Besides,therewereotherofficerslikeArmyMinister,ChiefPriest,andGovernorofForts

14. Provinces of
Mauryan empire
1.Tosaliin the East,
2.Ujjayainin the West,
3.Suvarnagiriin the
South, and
4.Taxila in the North
5.Pataliputra at the
center as a Capital

15. 1.Hugeempiredividedby
fourprovinces
2.Generally,Crownprince
wasappointedasa
Governor
3.GovernorscalledasKumar
4.Ashok:UjjayaniandTaxila
5.Governorsalsoselected
fromtheofficers
6.Ex.PushyguptVaishyaof
Saurashtra
7.Ex.Tushashp
8.SeparateMantrimandalProvincial Mantrimandal

16. Administrative divisionsCentral Govt•King
Provinces (Kumar)
Commissionerate
(Pradeshik)
Districts •Rajukas
Cities •Nagrik
Blocks (Sthaniya)
Villages (Gramani)

17. Provincial Administration
1.Crownprice/relativeswereappointedasGovernors
2.Theprovincialadministrationworkedonsimilarlinesofthecentral
administration.
3.TheprovincialGovernorswereresponsibleforday-to-dayconductof
administrationofprovinces.
4.Theywereexpectedtoconsultonimportantmatterstothecentral
administration.
5.Therewerealsothedistrictofficers,reporters,clerks,whohelpedin
thesmoothrunningofprovincialadministration.

18. Commissionerate
•A lower administrative body of Provinces (State)
•Chief of the Commissionerate called as “ Pradeshik”
•Duties:
1.Revenue Collection
2.Judicial
3.Law and order
4.General administrative work

19. District Administration
•Thedistrictwascalledas“Aahar”
•Thedistrictadministrationwasinthechargeof‘Rajukas’.
•Hispositionandfunctionsaresimilartotoday’sdistrictcollectors.
•Hewasassistedby‘Yuktas’orsubordinateofficials.
•Censusintownswasconductedbymunicipalofficials,especiallytotrack
themovementsofbothforeignandindigenouspopulation.
•Thedatacollectedwerecrosscheckedbythespies.
•Censusappearstohavebecomeapermanentinstitutionduringthe
administrationoftheMauryas.

20. Duties of the Rajjukas
1.Collect Revenue
2.Judicial Department
3.Repairs of roads & canals
4.Irrigation projects
5.Look after the visitors
6.Trade and commerce
7.Maintain the well being of society
8.Watch market & traders

21. City Administration
•Greek Historians: there were numbers of cities in Panjab, were administrated by “Chief Executive officers”
•Chief Executive officers called as “ Nagrik”
•Duties: Revenue collection, law and security, Judicial departments, to look after the Hotels and Restaurants, look after the foreigners,.
•City Administration had Municipal Board with 30 members.
•Six committees (6 x 5)
•Five Board members in each to manage the administration of cities.
•The six committees were:
1) Committee on Industrial Arts
2) Committee on Foreigners
3) Committee on Registration of Births and Deaths
4) Committee on Trade and Commerce
5) Committee on Supervision of Manufacturers
6) Committee on Collection of Excise and Custom Duties

22. Block Administrations
•Block (tehsil) was a lower division of districts.
•Block was known as “Sthaniya”
•Each Sthaniyacontain 800 villages
•There were two Dronamukhain every Sthaniya(400 x 2=800)
•Every Dronamukhahas 400 Villages
•Group of 200 villages= Khavartika
•Khavartikahas 20 blocks contain 10 villages each= Sangrahan(10 x 20)
Aahar(District)Sthaniya(Block)Dronamukh(400)
Khavartik(200)
Sangrahan(10)

23. Important officers
•Palace-Soudhgehadhipसौधगहा'धप: पाकशाला, furniture, garden
•Douvarik: दौवा.रक: chief security officer of palace (passport)
•Durgpal: दुग1पाल: security in charge of forts
•Aaydhagaradhakshya: आयुधागाराध4:Arms and Wepons
•Koshadhakshya: कोषाध4: Treasury officer
•DharmMahamatra:
•Sansthadhyasksha: Superintendent of mint
•Samasthadhyasksha: Superintendent of markets
•Sulkaadhyaksha: Superintendent of tolls
•Sitaadhyaksha: Superintendent of agriculture
•Navadhyaksha: Superintendent of ships
•Lohadhyaksha: Superintendent of iron
•Pauthavadhyakhsa: Superintendent of weights and measures
•Akaradhyaksha: Superintendent of mines
•VyavharikaMahamatta: Judiciary officers
•Pulisanj: Public relations officers

24. Village Administration
•Villageadministrationwasinthehandsof‘Gramani’
•Hewascontrolledbysuperiorwascalled‘Gopa,’
•Gopawasinchargeoftentofifteenvillages.
•CensuswasaregularactivityofGop
•Theywerealsotocounttheanimalsineachhouse.
•DetailsofAgriculturallandandcroppattern
•Villagehasacommitteeofelderpersonscalledas“Gramvruddha”
•Gramvruddhahandlelocaldisputes
•Acommitteeof3governmentofficialsand3localswasestablishedtodealbiggerdisputesandcases

25. Revenue Administration
•RevenuewasimportantsourceofState.
•Hence,theimportantdepartmentoftheadministration.
•The revenue department chief was called Samaharta.
•Another important official was Sannidhata(treasurer).
•Officer known as Sitaadhakshyawas a head of Crown land
•Landrevenuewas1/6ofthetotalproduce.
•Inadditiontolandrevenue,therewereexciseduty,foresttax,watertax,
taxesonmines,taxoncoinageetc.,asothersourcesofrevenue.
•MuchoftheMauryanrevenuewasexpendedonpayingthearmy,the
officialsoftheroyalgovernment,charities,anddifferentpublicworks
likeirrigationprojects,roadconstructionetc.

26. Judicial System
Court
Civil
Dharmsthaniya
Loan, sale, property,
marriages, land disputes
Criminal
Kantakshodhan
Crime, Murder, Sex offence

27. Judicial Administration
•TheKingwastheheadofthejudiciary.
•Hewasthehighestcourtofappealandpersonallylistenedtoappealsofthepeople.
•Kingappointedjudgesforthejudicialexercise.
•ChiefJusticewascalled‘Dharmathikarin’
•Provincialanddistrictsjudgewerecalled‘Amatyas.’
•Invillagesjudicialworkwasattainedby‘Gramavrudha
•Intowns,casesweresettledbythe‘NagaraVyavaharikaMahamatra’.
•Differentkindsofpunishmentsuchasfines,imprisonment,mutilation,anddeathweremetedouttotheoffenders.
•Policestationswerefoundatallmajorplacesinthecity.
•KautilyasArthashashtraandAshokanedictsmentionaboutjailsandjailofficials.
•Itwasensuredthatnoinnocentgetspunished.
•Ashokaappointedaspecialclassofofficersknown,astheDhammaMahamatrastolookintothis.

28. Military Administration
•TheKingwasthesupremecommanderofthemilitary.
•TheMauryanarmywaswellorganizedanditwasunderthecontrolofa
‘Senapati.’
•AsperGreekauthorPliny,theMauryanarmyconsistedof
1.6,00,000Infantry,
2.30,000Cavalry,
3.9,000Elephants,
4.8000Chariots.
•Medicalteam,Engineer,Architect,labors,

29. Division of Military
•TherewasaBoardof30memberstolookintomatterspertainingtowar.
•Thesememberswereplacedinsixcommitteeswithfivemembersineach.
•Thesecommitteeswereresponsibletomanagethefollowingwingsofthemilitary
1.Navy
2.Transport and Supply
3.Infantry:
4.Cavalry
5.War Chariots
6.War Elephants
•Each of the above wings was under the control of ‘Adhyaksha’ or Superintendents.

30. Conclusion
•Stablepoliticalperiodduetostrongcentraladministrations.
•PowerfulandsuccessfuladministratorslikeChandraguptaMauryaandAshokaandChanakya.
•Theadministrationwasdecentralizedandthepowersweredividedintosub-administrativeunits.
•EachaspectofsocietywastouchedbyMauryanadministrationsystem.
•Chainofbeurocracy.
•AshokaintroducedinnovationsandreformsintherigidcentralisedMauryanadministrativesystem.
•Ashokimprovedthefunctioningoftheexecutive,legislature,andjudiciary.
•AshokaappointedaDhammaMahamatrastolookafterthematerialandspiritualwellbeingofthepeople.