Question

In what ways do you think the village panchayats described in “Peasants, Zamindars and the State” were similar to or different from present-day gram panchayats?

Answer 1

Basis	Panchayats in the Mughal Period	Present-Day Gram Panchayats
Head	The village panchayat was usually headed by a muqaddam or mandal.	The Gram Panchayat is headed by an elected Sarpanch/Pradhan.
Selection of members	Members were generally village elders and important people of the community.	Members are elected by the people of the village.
Main work	They settled disputes, maintained order and managed village affairs.	They look after local administration and village development.
Collection of funds	Panchayats collected contributions from villagers for common village needs.	Gram Panchayats receive funds through taxes and government grants.
Social role	They also regulated social behaviour and could punish people for breaking community rules.	Their powers are defined by law, and they cannot impose punishments in the same traditional way.
Representation	Representation was not based on modern democratic elections.	Seats are provided for women and reserved categories according to law.

Conclusion:

Both types of panchayats looked after the needs of the village and helped solve local problems. However, present-day Gram Panchayats are democratic institutions with elected representatives and legally defined powers, while Mughal-period panchayats were mainly controlled by village elders and local community leaders.