What is Panchayati Raj System?

Our country’s top leaders and independence fighters, such as Mahatma Gandhi, had a deep
belief in the system.

The framers of the Constitution were similarly convinced of the need for this system and included
particular provisions in the Directive Principles of State Policy for the Panchayati Raj. According
to the Constitution, the state will create Village Panchayats. It will assist in their improvement by
providing them with the necessary rights and authority to operate as a part of local self-
government.

The Community Development Programme, which occurred during the First Five-Year Plan, was
the first time Panchayati raj and its core tasks were put into operation.

A special committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Balwant Rai Mehta to improve
the effectiveness of the Panchayati Raj. In its final report, the famous Balwant Rai Mehta
Committee recommended that the government establishes a three-tier Panchayati Raj system
where:

 The Gram Panchayats will work at the most basic village level,
 Panchayat Samitis will work at the intermediate block level, and
 Zila Parishad will work at the ground district level

The National Development Council proposed a similar local government structure in 1958, with
the village at the bottom of the system and the district at the top. However, it was not until the
73rd Constitutional Amendment of 1992 that the Panchayati Raj System received its current
framework.

Panchayati Raj systems have been established at three levels in most states and places: village,
intermediate, and district. However, in smaller states with less than 20 lakh people, there are just
two tiers: village and district.

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment

1992
The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act of 1992 begins a new era in the country’s federal
democratic setup, giving the Panchayati Raj Institutions constitutional legitimacy (PRIs).

Salient Features of the Act

1. Gram Sabha is the primary body of the Panchayati Raj system. It is a village assembly
consisting of all the registered voters within the area of the panchayat. It will exercise
powers and perform such functions as determined by the state legislature. Candidates
 can refer to the functions of gram panchayat and gram panchayat work, on the
government official website – https://grammanchitra.gov.in/.
2. The Act provides for the establishment of the three-tier system of Panchayati Raj in the
states (village, intermediate and district level). States with a population of less than 20
lakhs may not constitute the intermediate level.
3. The members to all the levels of the Panchayati Raj are elected directly and the
chairpersons to the intermediate and the district level are elected indirectly from the
elected members and at the village level the Chairperson is elected as determined by the
state government.
4. The Chairperson of a Panchayat and other members of a Panchayat, whether or not
elected directly from territorial constituencies in the Panchayat area, have the right to
vote in Panchayat meetings.
5. Reservation of seats:

 For SC and ST: Reservation to be provided at all the three tiers in accordance
with their population percentage.
 For women: Not less than one-third of the total number of seats to be reserved
for women, further not less than one-third of the total number of offices for
chairperson at all levels of the panchayat to be reserved for women.
 The state legislatures are also given the provision to decide on the reservation of
seats in any level of panchayat or office of chairperson in favour of backward
classes.
6. The Act provides for a five-year term of office to all the levels of the panchayat. However,
the panchayat can be dissolved before the completion of its term. But fresh elections to
constitute the new panchayat shall be completed –

 before the expiry of its five-year duration.

 in case of dissolution, before the expiry of a period of six months from the date of
its dissolution.
7. A person shall be disqualified for being chosen as or for being a member of panchayat if
he is so disqualified –

 Under any law for the time being in force for the purpose of elections to the
legislature of the state concerned.
 Under any law made by the state legislature. However, no person shall be
disqualified on the ground that he is less than 25 years of age if he has attained
the age of 21 years.
 Further, all questions relating to disqualification shall be referred to an authority
determined by the state legislatures.
8. State election commission:
 The commission is responsible for superintendence, direction and control of the
preparation of electoral rolls and conducting elections for the panchayat.
 The state legislature may make provisions with respect to all matters relating to
elections to the panchayats.

8. Powers and Functions: The state legislature may endow the Panchayats with such
powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as institutions of
self-government. Such a scheme may contain provisions related to Gram Panchayat
work with respect to:

 the preparation of plans for economic development and social justice.

  the implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice as
may be entrusted to them, including those in relation to the 29 matters listed in
the Eleventh Schedule.
9. The state legislature may –

 Authorize a panchayat to levy, collect and appropriate taxes, duties, tolls and
fees.
 Assign to a panchayat taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied and collected by the
state government.
 Provide for making grants-in-aid to the panchayats from the consolidated fund of
the state.
 Provide for the constitution of funds for crediting all money of the panchayats.

10. The state finance commission reviews the financial position of the panchayats and
provides recommendations for the necessary steps to be taken to supplement resources
to the panchayat.
11. The President may direct the provisions of the Act to be applied on any union territory
subject to exceptions and modifications he specifies.
12. The Act does not apply to the states of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram and certain
other areas. These areas include,

 The scheduled areas and the tribal areas in the states

 The hill area of Manipur for which a district council exists
 Darjeeling district of West Bengal for which Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council exists.
However, Parliament can extend this part to these areas subject to the exception
and modification it specifies. Thus, the PESA Act was enacted.
13. The Act bars the courts from interfering in the electoral matters of panchayats.

Organisation
The Gram Panchayat, also known as the Village Panchayat, is the central entity of the
Panchayati Raj System. A Gram Sabha and a Gram Panchayat with a distinct Chairperson called
Gram Pradhan or Sarpanch (Mukhia), a Vice-Chairperson, and certain Panches can be found
here.

In truth, Village Panchayats are in operation, and they operate only in compliance with state
legislation. However, Panchayati Raj Institutions are often stringent and well-organised. They
operate as follows: A Gram Sabha, also known as a Village Assembly, is made up of all adults,
or voters (those over the age of 18), who live in a Gram Panchayat, which is a village or a group
of minor villages.

The Gram Sabha has gained a reputation as a legal authority. The judicial system functions as a
legislative body. At least two Gram Sabha meetings are conducted each year. The Gram Sabha
discusses the amount or budget of the Gram Panchayat during its first meeting.

It reviews Gram Panchayat’s most critical and relevant reports during its second meeting. Gram
Sabha’s key responsibilities are to evaluate the panchayat’s yearly finances, consider various
audits and administrative reports, and file the panchayat’s tax proposals. It also takes community
service, additional voluntary labour, and newer Panchayat projects.

The Village Panchayat, also known as the Gram Panchayat, is Gram Sabha’s main executive
council. It is the most important source of local self-government in rural areas. All members of
Gram Sabha are voters with the authority to elect members of the panchayat by a secret ballot.
In most parts of India, a Village Panchayat comprises between 5 and 9 members known as
Panches. In every panchayat, there is a rule that one-third of the seats be designated for women.
However, in other parts of India, the proportion of seats allotted for women is higher. People from
the Scheduled Castes and Tribes are given reservation seats.

All of the electors in the village elect the Sarpanch (Mukhia) of the Panchayat. 1/3rd of Sarpanch
posts are reserved for women, while others are reserved for people from Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes.

The Sarpanch is the most important person in the panchayat since he can summon and preside
over Panchayat meetings. Every month, he or she must preside over at least one Panchayat
meeting. The Panches can also request special meetings on crucial matters.

He or she has the authority to summon such a special meeting within three days of receiving the
request. Every meeting of the panchayat’s agenda is kept on file by the Sarpanch. The members
of the panchayat choose the Vice Chairperson in most cases. The Village Panchayat has a 5-
year term limit.

All of the Gram Panchayat’s essential functions are linked to the overall well-being and growth of
the village. Every Gram Panchayat has to perform some very important functions to meet the
needs and basic requirements of the villagers, such as providing safe drinking water, paving
streets, and even developing and maintaining a good drainage system, ensuring village
cleanliness, upkeep of street lights, dispensary, and so on. These are described as “main” or
“obligatory” functions..

Conclusion
In India, the Panchayati Raj system is not a post-independence development. For decades, the
village panchayat has been the most powerful political entity in rural India. Panchayats were
elected councils in ancient India that had administrative and judicial authority. Panchayati Raj is a
three-tiered administrative framework in India that focuses on rural development. The Panchayati
Raj is a system of local self-government that is used to build districts, zones, and villages.