Throw light on the Chola Village Sabha administration as described in Uttarmerur Inscription.

Chola Village Sabha Administration in the Uttaramerur Inscription (919 & 921 A.D.):

Issued during the reign of Chola King Parantaka I, the two rock inscriptions at Uttaramerur (Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu) reveal the world's earliest documented model of grassroots participatory local self-government:

• 1. Democratic Structure of the Village Sabha:
  • The Brahmin village (Agrahara) was demarcated into 30 Wards (Kudumbu), each electing one representative to the general assembly (Sabha).
• 2. Unique Kudavolai Electoral System (Pot-Ticket Ballot):
  • Names of eligible candidates were written on palm-leaf tickets (Ola) and placed in an earthen pot (Kuda). A young innocent child drew out the winning ballots publicly before the assembly.
• 3. Specialized Executive Committees (Variyams):
  • Day-to-day governance was executed through specialized committees: Samvatsara Variyam (Annual Executive), Eri Variyam (Tank/Irrigation), Thotta Variyam (Garden), Pon Variyam (Gold/Treasury), and Pancha Variyam.
• 4. Strict Eligibility and Disqualification Norms:
  • Qualifications: Land ownership ($ge 1/4 ext{ Veli}$), owning a house on taxable land, age between 35–70 years, and proficiency in Vedic texts/Mantra Brahmana.
  • Disqualifications: Failure to submit financial accounts, corruption, moral offences, or committing heinous crimes (Panchapatakas).