A Deputy Commissioner can also act as a District Collector.
The executive head of a district is known as Deputy Commissioner, and he is answerable to the Divisional Commissioner.
People often confuse the roles of a Deputy Commissioner and District Collector. Most of the time, people end up thinking that these are the same positions, which is not the case at all. So, today let us know exactly how these two posts differ. The basic difference between the two is that, a District Collector is the highest ranking officer in Revenue administration of a district; while a Deputy Commissioner is the head of the district.
Another difference between the two is that a District Collector must answer to the government through the Divisional Commissioner and the Financial Commissioner, in the matters of revenue.
The executive head of a district is known as Deputy Commissioner, and he is answerable to the Divisional Commissioner. Depending on the circumstance or the occasion, they can also take on different roles. Aside from being a Deputy Commissioner, they can also play the roles of District Collector and District Magistrate.
If a Deputy Commissioner is acting as the District Collector, he has to take on responsibilities like conducting revenue court, has to take rehabilitation and relief projects, has to maintain land records and take care of collection of tax, irrigation dues, and excise duties. He becomes the highest-ranking authority in a district.
As mentioned above, a Deputy Commissioner is the administration’s executive head. During the period of Lok Sabha elections, he acts as the Returning Officer of his district. He controls the distribution of essential commodities that are scarce. In panchayats, zila parishads, market committees and community development blocks, the Deputy Commissioner has an important role to play. He is assisted by officers like Additional Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner (General), Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Executive Magistrate, District Revenue Officer, Sub Divisional Magistrates, Civil Defense Office, Urban Ceiling Officer and others.
The District Collector gets assisted by the Additional District Collector or the District Revenue Officer (DRO). A DRO is assisted by Deputy Collectors.