Mukhtar

Mukhtar Khan, the ſoubadar, who was attached to Azim Shaw, and father-in-law to Bedar Bukht, hoping to impede his progreſs, ſunk all the boats in the Jumna, and placed guards at the neareſt fords.

Afterwards, when the Raja complained against us, Mr. Ogilvy issued an order to me, No. 836 of 1845, directing us not to interfere with the jumebundee matters of the Raja, who was mooktar of his territory, but only to report cases in which he or his kharbarree might levy more than the assessment; accordingly I made several reports of over-exaction, which are on the agency records.

The Cypriote, like other Turkish, and, indeed, most Oriental villages, is under the charge of a head man, called a Mukhtar, assisted by a Council or Commission, consisting of three or more members belonging to a village. The Mukhtar is elected annually, and is paid by a contribution of so much per head of the population of the village. In some of the larger ones there are two Mukhtars: usually one Christian, and the other Moslem (they prefer this style to being called simply Greek and Turk).

On my arrival at the gate I found that the doctor was absent; but I could see the mukhtar. The mukhtar is the principal man in every Cypriote village – a kind of mayor on a reduced scale. [From St. James's Gazette.]

The Mudîr and Mukhtar are inferior officials of the Kaimakam. The Mukhtars, properly only village magistrates, have to look after the punctual payment of the taxes, and are responsible for them.

The villages comprised in the nahié shall each have a Mukhtar; if a village contains several wards, and if the inhabitants are divided into different classes, there shall be a Mukhtar for each ward and for each class of inhabitants.

Leaflets in Arabic on some subjects, distributed to and through Mukhtars, might do good.

The above areas [cazas, mudirieh, and villages] shall be administered respectively by Kaimakams, Mudirs, and Mukhtars. These officials shall meet periodically at the chief town of the district for the discharge of current business.