India is often referred to as the “Largest Democracy in the World” and the “Mother of Democracy”. True to the Affirmations, India does have a Great Tradition for Democracy.

The Principles of Democracy were inscribed into the Indian Political System which evolved in the Post Gupta Era/Golden Age.

If, as Montesquieu said, "the germs of Constitutional Monarchy are to be found in the Forests of Germany, those of Representative Democracy can be found in Ancient Indian Republics like Malla and Vajji." 

The Imperial Cholas and the Democratic Edifice

• Among the Great Powers that ruled Southern part of India from the close of the Sixth Century CE. The Pallavas, The Pāndyas, The Cholas and The Chalukyas were the most Important powers.
• Parantaka Chola I had a significant influence during his reign as the ruler of the Chola dynasty. His influence extended to various spheres, including political, military, cultural, and economic.
• Parantaka I was a skilled and able ruler who expanded the Chola empire through his military campaigns and conquests. He brought several territories and kingdoms under Chola's control which included parts of the Pandya kingdom, the Kongu region, and the Chera kingdom. His successful military expeditions consolidated the Chola dynasty's dominance in South India and established their authority over a vast area.
• The Cholas can be termed as an expansive power which conquered Ceylon (Sri lanka) and Indonesia and ruled half of the Former for over half a Century during ancient ages. And the Chola Empire internally was a Democratic Structure. Its villages were autonomous Self-Governing units administered by the elected representatives of the state. 
• The Empire of cholas was divided into Six Mandalams (Provinces), each constituted by a number of Kottams(Districts), each of these again Consisting of Several Kurrāms.

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Uttaramerur

 It is situated in present-day Kanchipuram district, southeast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Over the years, Uttaramerur was successively governed by the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Sambuvarayars, Vijayanagara Rayas, and Nayaks.

Significance of the Uttaramerur Inscription (920 A.D.)

Uttaramerur contains multiple inscriptions, with the most important one dating back to the period of Parantaka I (907-953 AD). This particular inscription on the walls of the village assembly (mandapa), provides comprehensive information about the functioning of the elected village assembly during that time. According to scholars, village assemblies might have existed before the time of Parantaka Chola, but it was during his rule that the village administration underwent significant refinement and became a well-operating system through the implementation of elections and assemblies.

What does the inscription say?

 The temple inscriptions of Uthiramerur provide historical records of rural self-governance.

 Sabha and Ur

• Gram Sabha and Ur were the two village assemblies in Uthiramerur during that time.
• The Sabha was a Brahmin-only assembly, but the Ur included individuals from all sections of society.
• Sabha oversaw property sales, established an endowment fund for dredging a tank, and delegated management of desolate land to the Ur assembly.
• Sabha gathered in the hall of the local temple after being summoned by the banging of drums in the village. Variyars, the executive officers who reported to the Sabha, were also mentioned in the inscriptions.

 Administrative System

• During the reign of Chola ruler Parantaka I, executive functions were delegated to committees which were called Variyams. Depending on the importance of its tasks, each variyam had around 6 to 12 members.
• The first inscription (dating from 919 CE) underscored the procedures for selecting committee members.
• The second inscription (dating from 921 CE) explains certain changes to these regulations in order to make them more practical.

Committees and Qualifications

• There were 30 kudumbus or wards in the village, from which the members of various Committees were appointed on an annual basis.
• The inscription describes the conditions for a candidate, which included owning tax-paying land, residing on self-owned land, being between the ages of 35 and 70, knowing mantras and the Brahmanas, and not being linked with particular offenses or activities.
• Candidates were chosen using the Kudavolai (pot of palm leaf tickets) procedure. A member of a committee served for 360 days.
• Anyone found to be in violation of the law or the rules was promptly dismissed from the office.

 Punishments

 According to the inscriptions, parading on a donkey was a penalty for crimes such as incest, adultery, robbery, and fraud among others.

 Local Elections

•  A comprehensive record of the operations of the Sabha (village assembly) is provided in the inscription. The Sabha consisted exclusively of brahmans and composed specialized committees responsible for various operations.
• It also underscores the process of selecting members, qualifications, responsibilities and basis of disqualifications. 
•  Constituting Sabha: There would be 30 wards, and individuals residing in these wards would join to choose a representative for the village assembly.

 Qualifications

• Age group for Male, above 35 but below 75
• Possession of Land and a house
• Knowledge of mantras and Brahmanas from the Vedic corpus.

Exception

 If the person had learned at least one Veda and four Bhashyas, an exception was made regarding the land ownership. 

 Disqualifications 

Not submitting accounts while previously serving in a committee, Committing any of the first four of the five ‘great sins’ (killing a brahman, drinking alcohol, theft, and adultery), associating with outcasts, and consuming ‘forbidden’ dishes were the grounds for disqualification. 

 Election Process 

• The entire selection process, under the guidance of priests, was conducted through an elaborate lottery draw in the inner hall of the assembly building (mandapa).
• The names of qualified candidates from each ward were written on Palm leaf tickets and placed in a pot (Kudavolai). The oldest member of the assembly assigned a boy to randomly select a slip and then the name was declared.

 Responsibilities

• There were several important committees within the Sabha, each with its own specific functions, and it included:
• Annual committee (an executive committee that required prior experience and knowledge) for supervision of justice (overseeing appointments and addressing wrongdoings)
• Gold committee (responsible for the village temple’s gold) – the assignments of the committees lasted for 360 days, after which the members retired. It was essential for the member to maintain accurate accounts, as any discrepancies could disqualify Sabha members. 

Right to recall

 The villagers had the right to recall elected representatives who failed in the performance of their duties. The committee for Supervision of Justice was responsible for this duty and with the assistance of an arbitrator, it conducted another selection following the specified process. 

Conclusion

• The State as a Union of autonomous towns and villages was a great and unique Political contribution of India in the democracy.
• Early British Administrators, eg, Sir Charles Metcalf noted that it was such a Union of Self Governing Communities, each a little Republic in itself, which preserved the people of India and enabled them to enjoy a great deal of Freedom and Happiness in spite of all the Tragedies and Invasions that the Bharatvarsha went through all the years.
• With the disintegration of the Mughal Empire, and the onset of the colonization of the British Empire, new types of land tenure i.e. The Zamindari system was introduced as an excessively centralized administration that led to the disruptions in the foundation of the decentralized Administration.
• The village autonomy of local self government was completely revived again post India’s Independence and was given a Constitutional Status in 1992 with the 73rd amendment act to the constitution.