Zaildar: Difference between revisions

'''Zaildar''' ([[Hindustani language|Hindustani]]: ज़ैलदार, [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: ذَیلدار) was the position based title of the grand [[jagir|jagirdar]] (landlord) of the area, who were in charge of a [[Zail, British India|Zail]] which was an administrative unit of group of villages during the [[British Indian Empire]]. [[Land grant|Settlement Officer]], with the advice of [[Deputy_commissioner#India_and_Pakistan|Deputy Commissioner]], was responsible for appointing Zaildar from amongst the leading men of the tribe or the area, thus reinforcing his preexisting social authority with the official sanction as the representative of the government.<ref name=zaildarapp1>1930, [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.36124/2015.36124.Punjab-Settlement-Manual_djvu.txt Punjab Settlement Manual], Punjab Government publications, point 235 and 578-282 on page 115, 272-273.</ref><ref name=zailbook1>[[Tan Tai Yong]], 2005, [https://books.google.com/books?id=d5ZiMV7rqWUC&pg=PA1919-IA1&dq=zaildar&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3mpvs6KrXAhVKvY8KHcBPB4EQ6AEIUTAI#v=onepage&q=zaildar&f=false "The Garrison State: The military, government and society in Colonial Punjab, 1849 - 1947."], [[SAGE Publications]], page 118-119, {{ISBN|0761933360}}.</ref> Each ''Zail'' was an administrative unit, extending between 40 to 100 villages.<ref name="Ismail khan">The Indian Making of mewat, Ismail khan, Permanent Black</ref>{{rp|at=p xxv}} Each village was headed by the ''[[Lambardar]]'' who was assisted by the ''"[[Zamindar|Safedposh Zamindar]]s"'' (influential landlords) of the village.<ref name="zailbook1" /> Zaildars were the revenue collecting officers and were also responsible for maintaining law & order in his zail. The ''Lambardar'' and Safedposh assisted  the ''Zaildar'' in his functioning , ''Zaildar'' in turn assisted the Deputy Commissioner.<ref name="zailbook1" /> The ''Zaildar'' was more influential than the ''Lambardar'' (village head) because a ''Zail'' included several villages in it.<ref name="zailbook5">Rajit K. Mazumder, 2003, [https://books.google.com/books?id=O4Wop9vwS9sC&pg=PA97&dq=zaildar&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjv0fvw-qrXAhUMpY8KHcgVD5I4FBDoAQgtMAI#v=onepage&q=zaildar&f=false "The Indian Army and the Making of Punjab."], Permanent Black, page 97, {{ISBN|8178240599}}.</ref> '''Safedposh''' (white collar gentry), were also appointed to assist Zaildar.<ref name="zaildarapp1" />

Post [[Indian Independence Act 1947|Indian independence]] in 1947, the system of Zails, Zaildars and Safedposh continued to exist till 1962. It was abolished by then chief minister [[Partap Singh Kairon]] on the demand of one of his ministers and MLAs because Police and Tehsil officers gave more weight to opinion of Zaildars viz a viz members of the legislative assembly due to which the latter felt undermined.<ref name=gaz1>{{cite web| url= http://revenueharyana.gov.in/html/gazeteers/gazetteer_india_hisar.pdf| title=Gazetteer of India: Haryana, Hisar, pp.168| author=Haryana Gazetteers Organization| publisher=Controller of Printing and Stationery| location=Chandigarh| date=1987}}</ref>