tahsils

Tahsil, tehsil, or taluka is an administrative division used in several South Asian countries, most notably India and Pakistan. It refers to a subdivision of a district and serves as a primary unit for revenue administration and civil governance. A tahsil typically comprises a number of towns and many villages, and acts as the local level where land records are maintained, revenue is collected, and administrative functions are carried out.

Functions and responsibilities commonly associated with a tahsil include land and revenue administration, registration of land transactions, census and vital records support, and the coordination of development schemes at the local level. It acts as a link between the district administration and village communities, and often houses subordinate offices that manage patwari or kanungo duties for land records, as well as officers responsible for civil administration and law and order in rural areas. In many countries, the tehsil is also involved in provisioning of local services and infrastructure, and in some cases may oversee urban blocks within the district.

The exact powers, structure, and nomenclature of the division vary by country and state. In India, the term tehsil or tahsil is common, with the head office staffed by a tehsildar; in southern states the equivalent unit is often called a taluka or taluk. In Pakistan, tehsil is a standard administrative tier beneath the district, sometimes linked to distinct urban or rural governance arrangements. The concept has historical roots in Persian administrative practice and was refined during colonial and post-colonial governance.