Need to Restructure the District Collector’s Role - IE - 09/12/22

Context:
Recently, the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy (Delhi based independent think-tank) in its book “From Rule by law to the Rule of Law” suggested reforms regarding role of the District Collector/ District Magistrate (DC/DM).
Relevance:
-->Jurisdiction of the DM/DC:
-Head of land and revenue administration.
-District head of the executive magistracy and overall supervision of law and order, security and police matters, licensing and Regulatory Authority (such as Arms Act), conduct of elections, disaster management, public service delivery, and Chief Information and Grievance Redressal Officer.
-District Magistrate can deploy and trigger the movement of armed forces in the district in times of emergency and crisis is done under his guidance.
-He is the authority that issues various kinds of licenses in the district related to Arms, Explosives, Cinematography Acts etc.

-->Need to Restructure the District Collector’s Role?
-The Indian legal system still has remnants of colonial authority despite having a modern Constitution.
-The name of the positions of the District Collector varies from place to place in the country which creates confusion related its role and responsibilities.

District administration was covered in the 15th report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC). It is now vital to reevaluate and redefine the district administration's function after the constitutionally mandated establishment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) and municipal bodies.