 Hoysala administration was influenced by the Western Ganga Dynasty whom the Hoysalas replaced in present-day South Karnataka and their early overlords, the Western Chalukyas.The Hoysala administrative machinery had many similarities with that of the Western Chalukya and Western Ganga Dynasties in matters of cabinet and command, local governing bodies and division of territory into provinces and districts.Some historians state that in the highly centralised Hoysala empire the king sought the advice of five major ministers ("Pancha Pradhanas") while others claim a higher number.