mukhtar

noun

1. A minor official—usually overseeing a village or town—in many Arab countries and (historical) in the Ottoman Empire and its successor states, including Turkey, Northern Cyprus, and formerly Albania.

   “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.”

2. (alt-of, alternative, specifically)A minor official—usually overseeing a village or town—in many Arab countries and (historical) in the Ottoman Empire and its successor states, including Turkey, Northern Cyprus, and formerly Albania.
3. (India, historical)A person acting as an agent, particularly a lawyer.

   “[W]e took leave, escorted to the gate by our two young friends, and thence by a nearer way through the ruins to our pinnace, by an elderly man, who said he was the Raja's "Muktar," or chamberlain, and whose obsequious courtesy, high reverence for his master's family, and numerous apologies for the unprepared state in which we had found "the court," reminded me of old Caleb Balderstone [from Walter Scott's The Bride of Lammermoor (1819)].”

   “The Darogahs and other mofussil police officers are prohibited from employing any mokhtar or vakeel at the station of the zillah or city Magistrate, for the purpose of receiving and transmitting the salaries of the thannah establishment, or for any other purpose, connected with their public functions, except in particular cases, wherein they may be specially authorized by the Magistrate to employ a vakeel.”

   “Very shortly after my arrival, the Rajah's Mooktar had waited on me, and requested that his master might be allowed to present himself, as he had much to say to me of great importance.”

   “The false rumours regarding the Santhals being in arms near Midnapore are said to have originated with some idle and mischievous Mooktars.”

   “One mooktar or lawyer was sentenced by Mr. Betts, for the offence which was no offence at all, to six months' imprisonment and a fine of 200 rupees—the Act being alternative, and, in default of payment, to a further imprisonment of six months. […] Did not such a state of things as regards the ryots demand an expression of sympathy from the House?”

name

1. A surname from Arabic.