The two highest officials of Central Administration were the ‘Vakil’ and the ‘Wazir’ (India)

Central administration, like administration in general, was personal and paternal. The system operated with a fair degree of efficiency as long as the king was able to exercise control from above. As soon as his grip loosened, the system fell to pieces, as seen in the reigns of Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.

The two highest officials were the ‘Vakil’ and the ‘Wazir’. The Vakil, in fact, was higher of the two. He functioned as regent of State and was in overall charge of the State. The ‘Wazir’ or high diwan was the highest officer of the revenue department. He was actuality known as ‘Wazir’ when he acted as Prime Minister.

The Chief Diwan supervised revenue collection and expenditure. He was head of the administrative wing of Government. He supervised the work of all the high officials. He controlled and guided provincial diwans who along with their subordinates were in touch with him. He signed all kinds of documents and put his seal authenticating government transactions.

The Moghuls had many diwans. Under the high diwan, that is, diwan-e-ala, there was the ‘diwan-e- tan’ in charge of salaries and ‘diwan-e-khalsa’ in charge of State (Crown) lands. ‘At times, the diwans were also successful military commanders. There was also the ‘Mustafa’ who audited income and expenditure and the ‘waqia-navis’ who kept a record of all important farmers.

Among other officials there was the ‘Khan-e-sama’ or the high steward in charge of royal expenditure, the ‘diwan-e-buyutat’ who was the understudy of the ‘Khan-e-sama’, the ‘Mir-e-Bakshi’, the paymaster-general of the empire and the ‘Sadr-e-sudur’, the head of the ecclesiastical department. Apart from the major officials of the central government, there were several others of minor importance who kept the system going. The administrative pattern was based on regulations, traditions and practices.