Local Self-Government: The Third Tier
Key facts about the 73rd and 74th Amendments and panchayati raj institutions.
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Questions Covered in This Set
11 cards to master
Which Article of the Directive Principles mentions village panchayats?
Article 40 — the State shall organise village panchayats as units of self-government. It is non-enforceable, an aspiration rather than a command.
What did the 73rd Amendment (1992) insert into the Constitution?
Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O) on rural panchayats, plus the Eleventh Schedule listing 29 subjects.
What is the Gram Sabha?
The assembly of all registered voters of a village (Art. 243A) — the only directly democratic, non-representative body in Indian democracy.
What are the three tiers of panchayati raj?
Village, intermediate (block) and district level (Art. 243B). States with population under 20 lakh may skip the intermediate tier.
What reservations does Article 243D require?
Seats for SCs and STs in proportion to population, and not less than one-third of seats for women (many states now 50%), including chairperson posts by rotation.
How long is a panchayat's term, and what if it is dissolved early?
Five years (Art. 243E); fresh elections must be held within six months of dissolution — this ended indefinite supersession by states.
Who conducts panchayat elections?
The State Election Commission (Art. 243K), an independent body — not the state government.
What does the State Finance Commission do?
Constituted every five years under Art. 243-I to recommend how state revenues are shared with local bodies.
What did the 74th Amendment cover?
Urban local bodies — Part IXA (Arts. 243P–243ZG) and the Twelfth Schedule with 18 subjects like urban planning, water supply and slum improvement.
Name the three types of urban local bodies under Article 243Q.
Nagar Panchayat (rural-to-urban transitional area), Municipal Council (smaller urban area), and Municipal Corporation (larger urban area).
Which committees shaped panchayati raj before 1992?
Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) recommended three tiers; Ashok Mehta Committee (1978) proposed a two-tier model.
