Central Administration:

•   The Mauryan government was a centralised power system with the king as the head.

•   Ruler got assistance from the council of ministers i.e., Mantri Parishad.

•   According to Kautilya, there are 7 elements of states (Saptanga theory):

o  Raja (the king),

o  Mitra (Friend),

o  Durg (fort),

o  Amatya (the secretaries),

o  Janapada (territory),

o  Kosha (the treasure) and

o  Sena (Army).

Military administration:

•   Military administration is controlled by a board of 30 members divided into six committees of infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, navy, and transport.

•   Two types of spies were there: Sansthan (stationary), Sanchari (wandering)

•   Mauryans also maintained a Navy in their Military.

Justice System

•   The ruler was at the head of judicial administration.

•   In the state, there were Rajukas who were equal to our modern district- magistrates.

•   Kautilya mentions two other kinds of courts Dharmasthiya (Civil Court) and Kantakashodhana (Criminal Court).

Local Administration

•   The empire was split into four provinces, each led by a prince or a member of the royal family (Kumara or Aryaputra).

•   There were four provinces under Asoka:

1.  Northern Province (Uttarapatha) with Taxila as its capital,

2.  Western Province (Avantiratha) with Ujjain as its headquarters,

3.  Eastern Province (Prachyapatha) with Tosali as its centre, and

4.  Southern Province (Dakshinapatha) with Suvarnagiri as its capital.

•   The village was the smallest administrative entity

o  Gramika Villages enjoyed a great deal of autonomy

o  Pradeshika referred to the governors of provinces or district magistrates

Countryside administration:

•   The Arthashastra encourages an elaborate Local administrative structure.

•   For countryside, Kautilya recommends that the king needs to establish a headquarter to control the Local bodies:

1.  Dronamukha in a unit of 400 villages

2.  Karvatika in a unit of 200 villages

3.  Sangrahani in a unit of 10 villages

City Administration

•   Megasthenes’ description of city administration was most likely applicable to Pataliputra specifically. It suggested six committees of five members each, in charge of the following aspects:

o  Industrial arts

o  The leisure and surveillance of foreigners

o  Information of births and deaths

o  Trade and commerce

o  Supervising the general public sale of goods

o  The tax collection on merchandise sold in the market

•   Arthashastra mentions a city administration officer called the Nagaraka, who had Sthanikas and Gopas under him.