The Collector play a pivotal role in the District administration. Collector in the Cadre of I.A.S heads the District. In Ferozepur, Collectorate is District Administration Complex and Collector is a Deputy Commissioner of District. He acts as the District Magistrate for maintaining Law and Order in his jurisdiction. He deals mainly with planning and development, law and order, scheduled areas/agency areas, general elections, arms licensing etc.
Role of Deputy Commissioner
The responsibility of General Administration of the District lies with the Deputy Commissioner. He is the Executive Head and has three fold roles as
- Deputy Commissioner
- District Collector
- District Magistrate.
He is assisted by the following officers for carrying out day to day work in various fields:–
- Additional Deputy Commissioner
- Assistant Commissioner (General)
- Assistant Commissioner (Grievances)
- Executive Magistrate
- District Revenue Officer
- District Transport Officer
- District Development and Panchayat Officer
- Civil Defense Officer
- Urban Ceiling Officer
The Deputy Commissioner is the Chief Revenue Officer as District Collector and is responsible for collection of Revenue and other Govt. dues recoverable as arrears of Land Revenue. He deals with the Natural Calamities like draught, unseasonal rains, hailstorms, floods and fire etc.
Under the Registration Act the District Collector exercise the Powers of Registrar of the District and he controls and supervises the work of Registration of deeds. He also function as Marriage Officer under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. Further under the Cinematograph Act, the District Magistrate is the Licencing Authority in his jurisdiction. The administration of the Police in a district is vested in the District Superintendent, but under the General direction of the District Magistrate as per provisions of section 4 of the Indian Police Act, 1861.
Rule 1.15 of the Punjab Police Rules, 1934, also provides the powers of District Magistrate as under:–
The District Magistrate is the head of the Criminal Administration of the District and the Police force is the instrument provided by Government to enable him to enforce his authority and fulfill his responsibility for the maintenance of Law & Order. The police force in a District is, therefore, placed by Law under the General control and direction of the District Magistrate, who is responsible that it carries out its duties in such a manner that effective protection is afforded to the public and against lawlessness and disorder.”
District Magistrate is thus responsible for the maintenance of Law & Order within the limit of his jurisdiction. He is conferred with very wide powers by the law, which if used prudently can be very effective in maintaining peace and tranquility. The police force is mainly an instrument provided by Law for the District Magistrate. He can impose restriction on the movement of unlawful Assembly under Section 144 Cr.P.C. and can also impose curfew keeping in view the situation.
He is authorised to inspect the Offices/Courts of Sub Divisional Officers (Civil), Tehsildars, Naib Tehsildars, Treasuries, Sub Treasuries, Jails, Hospitals, Dispenseries, Schools, Blocks, Police Stations, Second Class Local Bodies, Improvement Trusts and all other offices of Punjab Government, the A.C.Rs of whose Heads of offices he is required to write. In this way, he has effective control over the Administration.
The Deputy Commissioner holds courts and hears appeals under the following Acts against the order of Sub Divisional Officer (Civil), passed as Assistant Collector Ist Grade and Sales Commissioner and Settlement Commissioner:–
- Under the Land Revenue Act,1887
- Under the Punjab Tenancy Act,1887
- Displaced Persons (Compensation & Rehabilitation) Act,1954
- Punjab Package Deal Properties (Disposal) Act,1976
- Urban Land (Ceiling & Regulations) Act, 1976
Besides it, he decides the lambardari cases.
Additional Deputy Commissioner
The post of Additional Deputy Commissioner has been created to assist the Deputy Commissioner in his day-to-day working. The Additional Deputy Commissioner enjoys the same powers as that of Deputy Commissioner under the rules.
Functions of Additional Deputy Commissioner
With a view to lighten the enormously increasing workload of the Deputy Commissioner, the post of Additional Deputy Commissioner was created in the year 1979. He has been vested with the following powers under the various Acts-within the limits of the district:-
As Collector under the following Acts
- The Punjab Land Revenue Act,1887.
- The Punjab Occupancy Of Tenants(Vesting of Proprietary Rights)Act,1952.
- The Punjab Tenancy Act,1887.
- The Land Acquisition Act,1894.
- The Punjab Restitution of Mortgage Land Act,1938.
- The Punjab Village Common Land(Regulation) Act,1961.
- The Indian Stamp Act,1899.
As Registrar under the Registration Act,1908.
As Deputy Commissioner Under the Punjab Aided School (Security of Services) Act,1969.
As Executive Magistrate , Addl. Deputy Commissioner , D.M under the Criminal Procedure Code,1973.
As Additional District Magistrate under the Arms Act of India and Petroleum Act,1934,
He has been appointed as Chairman of District Consultative Committee under Personal Accident Social Security Scheme vide Punjab Government Notification No 13/434/88-SW /9794 dated 27.9.1988.
District Administrative Complex, Ferozepur