Panchayati Raj & MunicipalitiesPanchayati Raj & Municipalities

This landmark act institutionalized rural local bodies, adding Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O) and the 11th Schedule.

• Article 243B - Three-Tier System: Mandates a three-tier system of Panchayats at the village, intermediate, and district levels for all states having a population exceeding 20 lakhs.
• Article 243C - Composition: All seats in a Panchayat shall be filled by persons chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the Panchayat area.
• Article 243D - Reservation of Seats: Reservation of seats for SCs and STs in proportion to their population. Not less than one-third of total seats reserved for women, applicable to offices of chairpersons as well.
• Article 243E - Duration of Panchayats: Every Panchayat continues for 5 years from the date appointed for its first meeting. Elections must be held before the expiry of the 5-year term or within 6 months of dissolution.
• Eleventh Schedule Subjects: Contains 21 functional items placed within the purview of Panchayats, ranging from agriculture and land improvement to drinking water and rural electrification.

Established urban local governance by adding Part IX-A and the Twelfth Schedule to the Indian Constitution.

• Article 243Q - Types of Municipalities: Provides for three types of municipalities: Nagar Panchayat (transition area), Municipal Council (small urban area), and Municipal Corporation (large urban area).
• Article 243R - Composition: All seats in a municipality shall be filled by persons chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies (wards). State legislatures may provide representation to MPs, MLAs, and experts without voting rights.
• Article 243S - Wards Committees: Constitution of Wards Committees consisting of one or more wards, within the territorial area of a municipality having a population of 3 lakhs or more.
• Article 243ZE - Committee for District Planning: Every state shall constitute at district level a District Planning Committee (DPC) to consolidate plans prepared by panchayats and municipalities.
• Twelfth Schedule Subjects: Contains 18 functional items including urban planning, regulation of land-use, fire services, public health, and economic/social development.

Robust financial autonomy and independent election machinery are foundational to the successful functioning of local bodies.

• Article 243I - State Finance Commission: Constituted by the Governor every 5 years to review the financial position of panchayats and recommend principles for tax distribution and grants-in-aid.
• Article 243Y - Finance Commission for Municipalities: The Finance Commission constituted under Article 243I also reviews the financial position of municipalities and makes recommendations to the Governor.
• Article 243K - State Election Commission: Superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of all elections to the Panchayats vest in a State Election Commissioner appointed by the Governor.
• Article 243ZA - Elections to Municipalities: The superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of all municipal elections are vested in the State Election Commission.

Various committees were appointed post-independence to strengthen local self-government structures.

• Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957): Recommended democratic decentralization resulting in the 3-tier Panchayati Raj system. Zilla Parishad should be the advisory body, Panchayat Samiti the executive body.
• Ashok Mehta Committee (1977-78): Recommended 2-tier system (Zilla Parishad at district level, Mandal Panchayat comprising a group of villages). Suggested constitutional recognition and open political party participation.
• G.V.K. Rao Committee (1985): Appointed by Planning Commission; concluded that 'developmenter bureaucracy' had 'grassrooted' local bodies, termed them as 'grass without roots'. Recommended regular elections.
• L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986): Recommended constitutional status for Panchayati Raj institutions and creation of Nyaya Panchayats for clusters of villages.