ADMINISTRATION in Karnataka

ADMINISTRATION in Karntaka

Many of our administrative institutions were the legacy of the administrative arrangements that existed in the past. The text on Hindu polity like Manusmriti, Arthshastra, Kamandaka’s Nitishastra did influence administration in Karnataka as elsewhere in India in ancient period as testified by inscription dating back to more than 1200 years. There were Nadus of 12 villages or 30 villages like Kisuvolal-6, Mulgunda-12 or Honnathi-12, or Kolanur-30 or Navilgunda-30 the figures indicating the number of villages in the Nadu. There were bigger units like Nagarakhanda-70, Rattapalli-70, , Hangal-500 and districts like Belvola- 300. Terachuvadi-1000, uhundi-3000, but provinces like Banavasi-12000, indicated that it had 12 districts, Nolambavadi-32000, had 32 districts. During the ancient period when kings ruled the land, the kingdom was divided into Maharastrakas (zones) and Rashtras or Deshas or Mandalas or provinces. Under these provinces were a number of districts called Nadu or Vishaya and each district had a certain number of villages or ‘gramas’ attached to them. Every province had a senior Viceroy or Governor to administer it apart from the hereditary local officers. Districts had Nadagavundas with certain powers invested in them. There were several village level officials called Patela, or Gouda (evolved from gramakuta) a village headman who did police duties also. Revenue records were maintained by the Shanbhogues or Senobhova or Kulkarni (Karanika or clerk) as mentioned in many inscriptions. Revenue records were called Kadita and officer in charge of it as Kaditavergade. Revenue administration formed the foundation of all administrative matters. The village headman had under him the totis, talaris, sanadis or ugranis who were the village militia. When the British took over Bombay and Madras-Karnatak region they appointed Collectors for districts, Mamlatdar or Tahsildar under them for taluks, and Revenue officers for circles. The village heriditary officials also continued. The old Mysore area which was under Wodeyars came under the British commissioner’s rule in 1831. During this period (1831-1881) the British system of administration was gradually introduced and in 1881 the State was restored to Mysore Wodeyars. Until 1-8-1986, the State was divided into 4 divisions comprising 19 districts, 49 sub-divisions and 175 taluks. With the creation of Bangalore Rural District in the same year the number of districts rose from 19 to 20 while the number of sub-divisions and taluks remained the same. Bangalore Rural, Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Hassan, Kolar, Mysore, Mandya, Shimoga and Tumkur constitute the old Mysore state as it existed from 1799 to 1953. The present Bellary district was transferred to Mysore from Madras state in October 1953 by which time the princely state of Sandur was already merged in the district. Kodagu district as it exists now was a group C state. The present Dakshina Kannada

district was part of Madras Presidency till 1.11.1956, as also Kollegal taluk of Coimbatore district which was included in Mysore district. The present districts of Belgaum, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag and Uttara Kannada districts were in Bombay State. The whole or portions of former princely state viz. Ramdurg, Jhamkandi, Miraj Senior, Miraj Junior, Kholapur, Kurundwad Junior, Sangli, Audh, Mudhol and Savanur are found interspersed in Belgaum, Bijapur and Dharwad districts.

Earlier the district of Bijapur, Belgaum and Dharwad and Uttara Kannada were under the Bombay Presidency. These districts constitute Belgaum division. The districts of Gulbarga, Bidar and Raichur were in the former Hyderabad state. They constitute Gulbarga Division with Bellary district merged from Madras Presidency. Kodagu, a group C state ruled by a Commissioner was made into a separate district and was merged into Mysore Division into which Dakshina Kannada, Mandya, Shimoga, Hassan, Chikmagalur and Mysore were included. Kollegal taluk from Coimbatore district was made a part of Mysore district. Bangalore division has Bangalore, Bangalore Rural, Tumkur, Chitradurga

and Kolar.

The areas now included in Karnataka experienced administrative changes necessitated by the merger of princely states, by Federal Financial Integration and by State’s Reorganisation. As many as 573 villages which formed part of 13 States have been merged in Belgaum, Bijapur and Dharwad districts. Sandur State was merged in the Bellary district. The merger rendered it necessary to extend the administative system and laws of the absorbing unit to the merged areas. There was also the problem of integration of services. Federal Financial Integration affected only the areas which formed part of the former princely states of Mysore and Hyderabad. The departments in these states which were dealing exclusively with subjects in the Union List such as Railways, Posts and Telecommunications, Broadcasting, etc., were transferred to the Central Government. Composite departments like the Excise Department and the Income Tax and Sales Tax on income had to be bifurcated and the staff, records etc.,

attributable to the subjects in the Union list were transferred to the Central Government. The State Reorganisation was implemented on 1st November 1956 which resulted in the District officers being designated as the Deputy Commissioners in the whole state and they were assisted by the Assistant Commissioners at sub-divisional levels and the Tahsildars at the taluk levels. In August 1997, seven more new districts (see table) were newly formed raising the number of districts in the State to 27 vide Revenue Secretariat Notification No. RD. 42 LRD 87 (P-III) Bangalore dated 2nd August 1997 & No. RD. 42 LRD 87 (P-III) Bangalore dated 4th August 1997 (for Koppal District)

rajeshkumar