Difference between District Collector and Deputy Commissioner

Difference between District Collector and Deputy Commissioner is explained here in detail.

The District Collector is the highest Officer of revenue administration in the district. In revenue matters, he/she is responsible to the Government through the Divisional Commissioner and the Financial Commissioner (Revenue).

Deputy Commissioner is the Executive Head of a District. Deputy Commissioner reports to the Divisional Commissioner (Secretary rank officers at the State Level). The Deputy Commissioner dons different roles depending on different occasions.

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Difference between District Collector and Deputy Commissioner

The major differences between the district collector and deputy commissioner are:

District Collector Deputy Commissioner
The Deputy Commissioner as a District Collector is the highest Officer of revenue administration in the district. In revenue matters, he is responsible to the Government through the Divisional Commissioner and the Financial Commissioner, Revenue. Deputy Commissioner is the Executive Head of a District. Deputy Commissioner reports to the Divisional Commissioner (Secretary rank officers at the State Level). Deputy Commissioner coordinates the development and public welfare activities. The Deputy Commissioner plays the following different roles depending on different occasions.

  • Deputy Commissioner
  • District Collector
  • District Magistrate
A Deputy Commissioner while functioning as District Collector has the following roles and responsibilities

  • Conducts Revenue Court
  • Collection of Excise Duties, Irrigation Dues, Income Tax dues and arrears.
  • Undertakes Relief and Rehabilitation Works
  • Arbitrator of land acquisition, collection of land revenue.
  • Maintain accurate land records.
  • Power to issue various statutory certificates such as Nationality, Domicile, Marriage, SC/ST, OBC, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) certificates
  • The District Collector is the highest Judicial Authority in the District.
Deputy Commissioner while discharging his roles and responsibilities as Deputy Commissioner, District Magistrate and Deputy Custodian is mentioned below

Deputy Commissioner – Roles 

  • Deputy Commissioner is the executive head of the civil administration, all departments in the district
  • Plays an important role in the administration of municipal committees
  • For elections to Lok Sabha constituencies of his district, Deputy Commissioner functions as Returning Officer. 
  • Deputy Commissioner plays an important role in the decennial census.
  • The Deputy Commissioner controls and regulates the distribution of scarce essential commodities, etc.
  • Deputy Commissioner plays an important role in the Panchayats, Zilla Parishads, Market Committees, community development blocks 

District Magistrate – Deputy Commissioner while discharging his role as a District Magistrate has the following functions.

  • Maintaining Law and Order of the District.
  • Deputy Commissioner while executing his role as a District Magistrate is the head of the criminal administration
  • The District Magistrate has powers over the administration of lock-ups and jails in the district.
  • The District Magistrate controls and directs the actions of the police.

Deputy Custodian – Deputy Commissioner apart from playing the role of Deputy Commissioner, District Collector and District Magistrate; he/she also plays the role of Deputy Custodian. As a Deputy Custodian, the roles are 

  • Allotment of shops, houses in urban areas
  • Disposal of cases regarding evacuee property
  • Allotment of houses, land in rural areas
  • Can revise the orders of Tahsildars.
In the Revenue Department, District Collector is assisted by Additional District Collector also known as District Revenue Officer (DRO). The District Revenue Officer is assisted by Deputy Collectors. Deputy Commissioner is assisted by the following officers for carrying out everyday tasks of the administration

  • Additional Deputy Commissioner
  • Assistant Commissioner (General)
  • Assistant Commissioner (Grievances)
  • Executive Magistrate
  • District Revenue Officer
  • District Development and Panchayat Officer
  • Sub Divisional Magistrates
  • Civil Defense Officer
  • Urban Ceiling Officer

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Frequently Asked Questions about District Collector and Deputy Collector

Q1

What is the role of the district collector?

The main functions of the district collector were to supervise general administration, to collect land revenue and to maintain law and order in the district. As a District Magistrate, he supervised the police and inferior courts in the district. Along with these, he also performed judicial functions.
Q2

What is the role of the deputy commissioner?

The Deputy Commissioner is the Chief Revenue Officer as District Collector and is responsible for collection of Revenue and other Govt. 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.

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