History • Medieval IndiaHard

Examine the administrative machinery and local governance system of the medieval Chola Empire: 1. The famous Uttaramerur inscriptions belonging to the reign of Parantaka I provide an elaborate account of the Kudavolai system, a meticulous secret ballot procedure for electing members to village administration committees. 2. Candidates standing for village committee elections were disqualified if they had defaulted on submitting accounts or possessed bad moral character, ensuring high standards of public probity. 3. The central Chola government exercised absolute autocratic control over village assemblies, prohibiting local bodies from raising taxes or managing irrigation canals independently. Which of the statements given above are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only✓ Correct Answer

B. 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statements one and two are correct because the Uttaramerur inscriptions describe a sophisticated democratic electoral process using pot-tickets and stringent eligibility criteria for village governance. Statement three is incorrect because Chola village assemblies enjoyed substantial local autonomy, managing local tanks, justice, and land revenue collection without direct central micromanagement. This institutional autonomy is a hallmark of medieval South Indian polity.

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