Tehsil
Encyclopedia
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk (or Taluq/Taluka) and Mandal, is an administrative division
of some country
/countries of South Asia
.
Generally, a tehsil consists of a city
or town
that serves as its headquarters, possibly additional town
s, and a number of village
s. As an entity of local government
, it exercises certain fiscal
and administrative
power over the village
s and municipalities
within its jurisdiction. It is the ultimate executive agency for land records
and related administrative matters. Its chief official is called the tehsildar
or less officially the talukdar or taluka muktiarkar.
Tehsil and taluka and their variants are used as English
words without further translation. Since these terms are unfamiliar to English speakers outside of the subcontinent
, the word county has sometimes been provided as a gloss
, on the basis that a tehsil, like a county, is an administrative unit hierarchically above the local city, town, or village, but subordinate to a larger state or province. However, India and Pakistan have two (or more, at least in parts of India) intermediate levels of hierarchy—the District
and the tehsil, both of which are sometimes glossed as county. In neither case is the analogy very precise in specific details.
is only used in some states. For details see the corresponding article.
where the term taluka predominates, e.g., Larkana Taluka
. The tehsil is the second-lowest tier of local government in Pakistan; each tehsil is part of a larger District (Zila/Zilah
). Each tehsil is subdivided into a number of Union Councils
.
In the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, tehsil has the same meaning as explained above except for Malakand Division
. In Malakand Division
, a District (Zila/Zilah
) has two or more Subdivisions and a Subdivision has two or more tehsils. The Subdivisions in Malakand Division
are about the same as tehsils in the rest of the country.
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
of some country
Country
A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
/countries of South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
Generally, a tehsil consists of a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
or town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
that serves as its headquarters, possibly additional town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
s, and a number of village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s. As an entity of local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
, it exercises certain fiscal
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
and administrative
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
power over the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s and municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
within its jurisdiction. It is the ultimate executive agency for land records
Deed
A deed is any legal instrument in writing which passes, or affirms or confirms something which passes, an interest, right, or property and that is signed, attested, delivered, and in some jurisdictions sealed...
and related administrative matters. Its chief official is called the tehsildar
Tehsildar
A tehsildar is a revenue administrative officer in Pakistan and India in charge of obtaining taxation from a tehsil. The term is of imperial Mughal origin made of "tahsil", an Islamic administrative derived from Arabic, meaning "revenue generating; collection" and "dar", Persian for "holder of a...
or less officially the talukdar or taluka muktiarkar.
Variations
Taluka or Tehsil can be called SuburbsTehsil and taluka and their variants are used as English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
words without further translation. Since these terms are unfamiliar to English speakers outside of the subcontinent
Subcontinent
A subcontinent is a large, relatively self-contained landmass forming a subdivision of a continent. By dictionary entries, the term subcontinent signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent, or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision...
, the word county has sometimes been provided as a gloss
Gloss
A gloss is a brief notation of the meaning of a word or wording in a text. It may be in the language of the text, or in the reader's language if that is different....
, on the basis that a tehsil, like a county, is an administrative unit hierarchically above the local city, town, or village, but subordinate to a larger state or province. However, India and Pakistan have two (or more, at least in parts of India) intermediate levels of hierarchy—the District
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
and the tehsil, both of which are sometimes glossed as county. In neither case is the analogy very precise in specific details.
India
In India the term tehsilTehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
is only used in some states. For details see the corresponding article.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, the term tehsil is generally used except in SindhSindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
where the term taluka predominates, e.g., Larkana Taluka
Larkana Taluka
Larkana Taluka is an administrative subdivision of Larkana District in the Sindh province of Pakistan, the city of Larkana is the capital.-History:...
. The tehsil is the second-lowest tier of local government in Pakistan; each tehsil is part of a larger District (Zila/Zilah
Zillah (country subdivision)
A Zillah or Zilā is a country subdivision in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. It is translated as district* districts of Pakistan * districts of India...
). Each tehsil is subdivided into a number of Union Councils
Union Councils of Pakistan
A sherwan or village council in Pakistan is an elected local government body consisting of 21 councillors, and headed by a nazim and a naib nazim...
.
In the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, tehsil has the same meaning as explained above except for Malakand Division
Malakand Division
Malakand Division was an administrative division of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, until the reforms of 2000 abolished the third tier of government....
. In Malakand Division
Malakand Division
Malakand Division was an administrative division of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, until the reforms of 2000 abolished the third tier of government....
, a District (Zila/Zilah
Zillah (country subdivision)
A Zillah or Zilā is a country subdivision in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. It is translated as district* districts of Pakistan * districts of India...
) has two or more Subdivisions and a Subdivision has two or more tehsils. The Subdivisions in Malakand Division
Malakand Division
Malakand Division was an administrative division of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, until the reforms of 2000 abolished the third tier of government....
are about the same as tehsils in the rest of the country.
External links
- 2001 maps; provides maps of social, economic and demographic data of India in 2001
- Chak Rajaram Tiwaripur