NEWS

• On September 9, 2025, members of the Ho tribe staged a protest in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand.
• They accused the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of interfering with their indigenous self-governance by removing village heads (Mundas).
• District administration clarified it was due to social media rumors, asserting the Manki-Munda system remains integral to governance.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Ho Tribe & Their Governance System

• The Ho tribe, part of the Kolhan region’s adivasis, follow a decentralised governance model.
• Munda: Village head, resolves socio-political disputes; role is hereditary.
• Manki: Head of a group (pir) of 8–15 villages, addresses unresolved cases.
• Originally, the system had no tax or revenue responsibilities; it functioned purely as a self-regulatory socio-political order.

Colonial Interference & Revolts

• After Battle of Plassey (1757), Battle of Buxar (1764), and Treaty of Allahabad (1765), East India Company gained diwani rights (tax collection).
• Permanent Settlement Act (1793) imposed land revenue on zamindars → led to land alienation of Ho tribes.
• Resulted in Ho revolt (1821–22) and Kol revolt (1831–32) against exploitation and land dispossession.

Wilkinson’s Rules (1833)

• British officer Thomas Wilkinson codified the system into 31 rules, integrating it into colonial administration.
• Established the Kolhan Government Estate (1837) to control Ho regions.
• Even post-1947, Wilkinson’s Rules remain applicable, keeping Kolhan partially outside mainstream civil procedure laws.

Present Significance

• In 2021, Jharkhand recognised Nyaya Panchs (traditional judicial bodies) for revenue and dispute resolution.
• However, hereditary succession of Mankis and Mundas, often lacking formal education, creates tension between customary law and modern administration.
• Current protests highlight Adivasi concerns over autonomy and identity in the face of state intervention.