The Historical Evolution of the District Officer
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The Historical Evolution of the District Officer From early days to 1947 By Dr CK Mathew Former Chief Secretary, Rajasthan Visiting Professor, Azim Premji University The Historical Evolution of the District Officer* Dr C.K. Mathew Former Chief Secretary, Rajasthan Visiting Professor, Azim Premji University *A composite designation used for District Collector, District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner The Historical Evolution of the District Officer: From early days to 1947 Dr C.K. Mathew Former Chief Secretary, Rajasthan Visiting Professor, Azim Premji University © 2020 Azim Premji University. This publication may be reproduced by any method without fee for teaching or nonprofit purposes. The publication shall not be used for commercial purposes. Rights are reserved under Creative Common Licence. Any derivative works shall also be protected under the same license. Rights are reserved under Creative Common Licence: Attribution + Non- Commercial + Share Alike. For copying in any other circumstances, or for re-use in other publications, or for translation or adaptation, prior written permission must be obtained from the publisher. Disclaimer: The analysis and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and may not represent the view of the University. ISBN: ? Download from: https:// ? Table of Contents Chapter Title of Chapter Page No. An Introduction to the Series of Papers on the District 5 Officer Author’s note 15 Acknowledgements 18 I Introduction 19 Thoughts on Colony and Empire: The District Officer’s Role II 26 in Theory III District Administration Before the Advent of the British 41 IV The Arrival of the British 46 V India Under the East India Company 50 VI The Evolution of Revenue Administration 58 The District Officer at the Intersection Between Empire, VII 94 Land and Citizen VIII District Administration and Ground Realities 109 IX The Indian Civil Service and the Role of the District Officer 123 X The Rebellion and thereafter 158 The District Officer’s Role During War and the Struggle for XI 176 Independence XII Empire and the District Officer: A Different Point of View 190 XIII Memories and Memoirs: Part A 201 XIV Memories and Memoirs: Part B 212 XV The Creation of the All India Service 219 XVI Conclusion 229 Map of the Districts of British India 236 Comments: 1 Mr S Ahmed 237 Comments: 2 Mr EK Bharath Bhushan 239 Bibliography 242 List of Governor-Generals and Viceroys of India 253 List of States and Union Territories with Nomenclature for 255 the District Officer An Introduction to the series of papers on the District Officer AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES OF PAPERS ON THE DISTRICT OFFICER This is the first of a five-volume series that shall attempt to capture the many faces of the District Officer, otherwise known as District Collector, District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner. As the key administrator at the district level, often posted at an age younger than 30, he is the single reference point for virtually all problems and issues that may arise across all departments in his jurisdiction. While there are several books and papers defining and re-defining this crucial and key element in the bureaucratic structure of any state of India, this series of studies now proposed will examine five variegated aspects of the post. It is well-known that India owes much of its legal and administrative structure to the legacy left behind by the British when they left the country in 1947. Many of their statutes continue to provide an excellent framework for the administration of justice and maintenance of law and order as also to detect or prevent crime: the Indian Penal Code, the Civil Procedure Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, the Indian Evidence Act, etc., are prime examples. Some others still assist in the collection of revenues for the country, such as the Registration of Property Act of 1882. However, the most visible and effective element of administration, extant in the country for the past 250 years in an unbroken line of historical evolution, is the institution of the District Collector (also known as the Deputy Commissioner in some states and, while encompassing the role of the District Magistrate, is ubiquitously translated as the District Officer). An office, invented in the days of the East India Company and strengthened when the British Parliament took over the reins of administration in 1858, has, over the years, grown into a crucial and indispensable element in 5 • The Historical Evolution of the District Officer the country’s bureaucratic and administrative hierarchy. It is one on which the government, at the levels of both the state and the Centre, is heavily dependent. At present, there are 739 districts in the country(Government of India Web Directory, n.d.).1 Each district is led by a District Officer. Unless the context demands otherwise, s/he shall be henceforth referred to as District Officer. He performs a multitude of functions and duties spanning all aspects of the district administration. He is not merely the representative of the state government. In many ways, he personifies the government itself. His many tasks include the maintenance of law and order (in which capacity he is referred to as the District Magistrate), the collection of land revenues (in the context of which he is addressed as the District Collector), the coordination between departments for development activities, the redressal of grievances of people and a host of other issues. Most importantly (though not over- emphasised), he plays the sensitive role of balancing conflicting political aspirations in the best interests of the district. He is also charged with the duties of implementing important schemes and programmes of the Union and state governments by providing leadership and guidance to the staff of the various administrative There is not, and never has been, an official like the Collector, anywhere departments under him. As the eyes and ears of the government, it else. is also his job to ensure that critical information on all matters in his jurisdiction are promptly brought to the attention of the state KK Das, report on reorganization of Collectorates, Lucknow, government. In times of crisis, such as management of a natural Government of Uttar Pradesh, 1956 disaster or a civil disturbance, his authority is unquestioned and his control is vast. He is invariably a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), officers of which are selected at a young age through a rigorous process of national competitive examinations. Some Collectors are also appointed by promotion from state 1 The number of districts is steadily increasing. The 2001 Census showed the figure as 593, which rose to 640 by the time the 2011 Census was completed. 6 An Introduction to the series of papers on the District Officer administrative services or by nomination from other services.2 A young IAS recruit, after undergoing training for two years, is posted in the field from where he begins his work. He learns on the job. When he is posted on a district assignment, he becomes the chief officer-in-charge of supervision of the general administration of the district, while also functioning as its senior-most executive magistrate, presiding over subordinate magistrates such as Additional District Magistrates, Sub-divisional Magistrates, etc. The task undertaken herein is to write five analytical volumes on various and differing aspects of the District Officer’s extraordinary work and role. These five aspects proposed to be studied are as below: i. Historical evolution of the assignment, tracing the transformation from the District Officer being an agent of the British East India Company to occupying the position of the primary field officer at the district level duly empowered by the Raj and, now, to an all-purpose administrator in present-day India, functioning as the face of the government. While there is adequate material in this regard, this study shall attempt to consolidate the broad historical developments along with variations, if any, in different parts of the country. It shall also be informed by the present public perception of the job and the element of higher trust of the public in this office with particular reference to the findings of the recent study by Azim Premji University and the Centre for Studies in Developing Societies (Politics and Society between Elections 2019, 2019). ii. District Magistrate: The second in this series shall deal with the District Officer’s role in maintenance of law and order and the establishment of peace and tranquillity. The District Magistrate’s duties include the conducting, and the superintendence of, executive magisterial courts presided over by himself as well as courts of Executive Magistrates 2 Normally 33.33% of the total IAS posts of the state are reserved for promotees from the state administrative services as well as for those who came in by way of special selection from non- state administrative services. The latter is restricted to 15% of the one-third thus reserved. 7 • The Historical Evolution of the District Officer working under him, such as sub-divisional and tehsil level courts; conducting magisterial inquiries; hearing of cases under preventive sections of the Criminal Procedure Code, etc. As District Magistrate, maintenance of law and order, supervision of the police and jails, granting of arms and ammunition licences under the Arms Act, preparation of names for appointment of public prosecutors and additional public prosecutors in consultation with the sessions judge in district, etc. all fall under his authority. Often, he is expected to discharge the role of District Magistrate in matters related to disaster management during natural calamities such as floods, droughts or epidemics as well as crisis management during riots or external aggression. The role of the District Magistrate in ensuring peace and tranquillity is a sensitive and critical one.