Commissioner

Commissioner was a rank in the Covenanted Civil Service given to the the officer in charge of the administration of a Division (comprising several Districts or Zillahs).

In the Regulation Provinces he would be a Covenanted Civil Servant, or in the Non-Regulation Provinces he could be either a Covenanted Civil Servant or an officer of the East India Company or Indian Army.

The Commissioner role is

• Management of the Collector-Magistrates in the district
• Chief of the local authority (he has no power over judges or the judiciary)
• Heads the Police Authority - no role in its management
• Chief Revenue Authority - responsible to the Board of Revenue for Land revenues
• Collection of Licence Tax – it is a form of personal taxation as there is no Income Tax Licence Tax.
• Inspection of schools, Collector's treasuries, jails, asylums, and burial grounds.
• Arbitration of civil disputes
• Recommendation of infastructure improvements

External Reference

"The Bengal Civil Service" a description of the role of Commissioner