Corps of Forty

The Corps of Forty (Persian: گروه چهارده‎, Urdu: گروہِ چالیس), also known as Dal Chalisa or Turkan-i-Chahalgani was the council of 40 Turkic and non-Turkic nobles that administered the Delhi Sultanate under the Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate. It was initially formed by Qutb al-Din Aibak but later modified by Sultan Iltutmish.[1] It was the first regular ministerial body in the history of Indian Subcontinent.

Although all power was vested in the Sultan, he was the head of state, head of government, military, economy and judicial system.[2] He was also free to appoint or dismiss the members of Chalisa but they played an important role in the administration and expansion of Sultanate. Sometimes these nobles played a crucial role in the choice of the Sultan. In the absence of any law of succession, they sided with the one or the other claimants of the throne.[3]