Explanation: The chief office was not hereditary and was known as Ganapati or Ganaraja. The power was vested in an aristocratic council comprising heads of leading Kshatriya families and the authority structure of ganas had greater elements of tribal organisation.

• Most of the ganas were in or near the Himalayan foothills in eastern India, which also suggests that probably their establishment predated the transition to kingdoms as clearing wooded low-lying hills was comparatively easier than the marshy jungles of the plain.
• The corporate aspect of government was a major attribute of Gana-Sanghas. They were based in smaller geographical areas and had more representative government.
• The Gana-Sanghas had only two strata−the kshatriya rajakula (ruling families) and the dasa-karmakara (slaves and labourers).
• Gana-Sanghas were more ready to tolerate unorthodox views and more open to individualistic or independent opinion than the kingdoms. This tolerance was the major reason that two of the most venerated gurus of the heterodox sects, i.e., Mahavira (Jainism, belonged to Vajji confederacy) and Buddha (Buddhism, belonged to Shakya clan) were able to propagate their philosophy in a more unrestricted way in Gana-Sanghas as compared to kingdoms.

Source: Tamil Nadu NCERT