Correct option is A
he correct answer is (A) Muqaddam
Explanation:
During Sher Shah Suri's administration, the Muqaddam (village headman) was held personally responsible for maintaining law and order and preventing crimes within the village.
Sher Shah introduced a system of local responsibility, where the Muqaddam had to either produce the culprit or make up for the loss caused by a crime like theft or murder.
This strict policy ensured that village officials were vigilant, leading to a significant reduction in crime across the empire.
The village remained the lowest unit of administration, and the state dealt with it primarily through the Muqaddam.
According to historians like Abbas Khan Sarwani, this system made the highways so safe that even an old woman carrying a basket of gold could travel without fear.
Information Booster:
Sher Shah Suri divided his empire into Sarkars (districts), which were further subdivided into Parganas (groups of villages).
His administrative reforms, particularly the land revenue system and currency (Rupiya), laid the foundation for the later Mughal administration under Akbar.
Additional Knowledge:Shiqqdar (Option B)
The Shiqqdar was the chief executive officer of a Pargana.
His primary duty was to maintain law and order at the Pargana level and assist in the collection of land revenue.
He also supervised the work of other local officials like the Amils.
Qazi (Option C)
The Qazi served as the judicial officer or judge during the Sultanate and Suri periods.
He was responsible for administering civil and criminal justice based on Islamic law (Sharia).
In a Pargana, the Qazi dealt specifically with legal disputes and religious matters.
Fotedar (Option D)
The Fotedar functioned as the treasurer of the Pargana.
His main responsibility was the custody of the cash collected as revenue and maintaining proper financial records.
He worked alongside the Munsif (revenue collector) to ensure the financial stability of the administrative unit.