Panchayati Raj System
Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) is a system of rural local self-government in India.
Local Self Government is the management of local affairs by such local bodies who have been elected by
the local people.
PRI was constitutionalized through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 to build democracy at
the grass roots level and was entrusted with the task of rural development in the country.
The Act aims to provide a three-tier system of Panchayati Raj, which consists of:
(a) Village-level Panchayats
(b) Block-level Panchayats
(c) District-level Panchayats
Main Features of the 73rd Amendment Act
• There shall be constituted in every State, Panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels in
accordance with the provisions of this Part.
• Panchayats at the intermediate level may not be constituted in a State having a population not exceeding
twenty lakhs
• All the seats in a Panchayat shall be filled by persons chosen by direct election from territorial
constituencies in the Panchayat area and, for this purpose, each Panchayat area shall be divided into
territorial constituencies in such manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the
number of seats allotted to it shall, so far as practicable, be the same throughout the Panchayat area.
• The Legislature of a State may, by law, provide for the representation of the Chairpersons of the Panchayats
at the village level, intermediate level or, in the case of a State not having Panchayats at the intermediate
level, in the Panchayats at the district level.
Reservation of Seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes:
Article 243 D provides that seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. In
every Panchayat, the reservation of seats shall be in proportion to their population. Out of the seats so
reserved not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved shall be reserved for women belonging
to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes respectively.
Reservation for Women- Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved for women belonging
to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes to be filled by direct election in every Panchayat shall be
reserved for women.
Reservation of offices of Chairpersons- The offices of the Chairpersons in the Panchayats at the village or
any other level shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and women in such manner
as the Legislature of a State may, by law.
Disqualifications of Members:
A person shall be disqualified for being a member of a Panchayat, if he is so disqualified by or under any
law for the time being in force for the purposes of elections to the Legislature of the State concerned; and if
he is so disqualified by or under any law made by the Legislature of the State.
Powers, Authority and Responsibilities of Panchayat:
State Legislatures have the legislative powers to confer on Panchayats such powers and authority as may be
necessary to enable them to function as institutions of self-government. They may be entrusted with the
responsibility of preparing plans and implementation of schemes for economic development and social
justice.
Powers to Impose Taxes and Financial Resources
A state may by law authorise a Panchayat to levy, collect and appropriate taxes, duties, tolls, fees etc. It can
also assign to a Panchayat various duties, taxes etc. collected by the State Government. The grants-in-aid
may be given to the Panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the State.
Panchayat Finance Commissions:
Within one year from the commencement of the Constitution (73rd Amendment Act, 1992), constitute a
Finance Commission, to review the financial position of the Panchayats and to make recommendations to
the Governor.
It can be said that the act was able to bring about changes in the rural governance of the country with:
• Democratic decentralisation: it built democracy at the grass root level in villages.
• Political accountability: through the provision of Gram Sabha as the decision-making body. As
villagers get a voice in the governance of the village.
• Participatory democracy: due to regular and direct election by the citizens of the village conducted by
a separate State Election Commission.
• Social empowerment and inclusive development: representation to different sections of the society
like SCs and STs. Making them part of the development story.
• Financial devolution of resources based on the recommendations of State Finance Commission.
• Bottom-up approach planning process
• Efficient implementation of schemes adhering to local problems.
The change has been substantial with respect to women as they have been provided with 1/3rd reservation
(in some states 50% reservation) of seats. This has resulted in:
•
o Women empowerment and betterment of their status in the society. As women themselves take
decisions their decisions related to their problems.
• Political representation to the women
• Evidence from many examples suggests that successful Women Surpanchs in various states have
brought positive changes in the lives of women of their village and also in rural governance.
At the same time the act has not been able to deliver on certain aspects in rural governance like low
literacy levels in rural areas, the prevalence of Open defecation, high Maternity and Infant mortality
rates, lack of physical and social infrastructure etc.
This inability is due to:
• Incomplete devolution of financial and administrative powers.
• Lack of political will on the part of state governments
• Irregular conduction of elections at the whims of state governments
• Ignoring the recommendations of State Finance Commissions etc.
Though the women reservation has brought substantial changes in the lives of women, still some problems
persist due to Proxy candidature (real power vests with male counterparts), low literacy level, lack of
social encouragement etc.
Conclusion:
Thus, it is imperative for the state governments to fully devolve the financial and administrative powers to
the Panchayats and strengthen the local government not only in letter but spirit.
