- Local self-government is a State List subject, but the 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992) gave panchayats and municipalities constitutional status.
- The first panchayat under the new three-tier system was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru at Nagaur, Rajasthan, on October 2, 1959.
- The 73rd Amendment came into force on April 24, 1993, now celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day.
Committees That Shaped Panchayati Raj
| Committee | Year | Key recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Balwantrai Mehta | 1957 | Three-tier system — village, block and district — called "democratic decentralisation" |
| Ashok Mehta | 1977–78 | Two-tier system (district and mandal) and participation of political parties |
| G.V.K. Rao | 1985 | The district as the main unit of planning; called the system "grass without roots" |
| L.M. Singhvi | 1986 | Constitutional status for panchayats |
The 64th Amendment Bill (1989) under Rajiv Gandhi failed in the Rajya Sabha; the 73rd Amendment was passed in 1992 under P.V. Narasimha Rao. Article 40 (a Directive Principle) already asked states to organise village panchayats.
73rd and 74th Amendments Compared
| Feature | 73rd (rural) | 74th (urban) |
|---|---|---|
| Part | Part IX, Articles 243–243O | Part IXA, Articles 243P–243ZG |
| Schedule | 11th — 29 subjects | 12th — 18 subjects |
| In force | April 24, 1993 | June 1, 1993 |
| Structure | Three tiers — village, intermediate (block), district; states under 20 lakh population may skip the middle tier | Nagar panchayat (transitional area), municipal council (smaller urban area), municipal corporation (larger urban area) |
| Basic assembly | Gram Sabha (Article 243A) | Ward committees in municipalities with a population of 3 lakh or more |
| Planning body | District Planning Committee (243ZD); Metropolitan Planning Committee for metro areas (243ZE) | |
73rd in forceApril 24, 1993
74th in forceJune 1, 1993
11th Schedule29 subjects
12th Schedule18 subjects
First panchayatNagaur, Oct 2, 1959
Minimum age21 years
Compulsory and Voluntary Provisions
| Compulsory (must be followed by every state) | Voluntary (left to states) |
|---|---|
| Gram Sabha in every village | Giving panchayats powers over the 29 subjects |
| Three-tier system (with the population exception) | Reservation for backward classes |
| Direct elections to all seats | Voting rights for MPs and MLAs in panchayats |
| Five-year term; elections within six months of dissolution | Financial powers to levy taxes |
| Reservation for SCs and STs in proportion to population | Reservation for women above one-third |
| At least one-third of seats and chairperson posts for women | |
| Minimum age of 21 to contest | |
| State Election Commission (Article 243K) and State Finance Commission every five years (Article 243I) |
More than 20 states, including Bihar (the first, in 2006), Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, have raised women's reservation in panchayats to 50%.
PESA Act, 1996
The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act extends Part IX to Fifth Schedule areas in ten states, with special powers for the Gram Sabha — to protect tribal customs, manage community resources, be consulted before land acquisition and control minor forest produce. It was based on the Dilip Singh Bhuria Committee (1995). Sixth Schedule areas in the north-east have their own Autonomous District Councils and are outside Part IX.
Where the 73rd Amendment Does Not Apply
Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram; hill areas of Manipur with district councils; and the Darjeeling hill area, which has the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. Parliament can extend it to these areas by law.
- Committee ↔ recommendation: Balwantrai Mehta (three-tier), Ashok Mehta (two-tier), L.M. Singhvi (constitutional status).
- Numbers: 29 subjects (11th Schedule), 18 subjects (12th), one-third women, 21 years.
- Compulsory vs voluntary statement questions — OBC reservation is voluntary; SC/ST reservation is compulsory.
Q1. The 11th Schedule of the Constitution contains how many subjects for panchayats?
✅ Answer: (b) 29
💡 Explanation: The 11th Schedule lists 29 subjects; the 12th Schedule lists 18 for municipalities.
Q2. Which committee recommended a three-tier Panchayati Raj system?
✅ Answer: (a) Balwantrai Mehta Committee
💡 Explanation: The Balwantrai Mehta Committee (1957) proposed the village–block–district structure.
Q3. Which of these is a VOLUNTARY provision of the 73rd Amendment?
✅ Answer: (d) Reservation for backward classes
💡 Explanation: States may choose whether to reserve seats for backward classes; the others are compulsory.
Q4. National Panchayati Raj Day is observed on:
✅ Answer: (c) April 24
💡 Explanation: The 73rd Amendment came into force on April 24, 1993.
Q5. Ward committees are mandatory in municipalities with a population of at least:
✅ Answer: (a) 3 lakh
💡 Explanation: Article 243S requires ward committees where the population is 3 lakh or more.
🔁 Revise in 60 Seconds
- Nagaur Oct 2, 1959; Balwantrai Mehta 1957 (3-tier); Ashok Mehta 1977 (2-tier); Singhvi 1986 (constitutional status).
- 73rd: Part IX, 11th Schedule (29), in force Apr 24, 1993. 74th: Part IXA, 12th Schedule (18), June 1, 1993.
- Compulsory: Gram Sabha, 5-yr term, 1/3 women, SC/ST quota, SEC, SFC, age 21.
- PESA 1996 for Fifth Schedule areas (Bhuria Committee).
📌 Prelims Traps to Avoid
- ✘ Reservation for OBCs in panchayats is voluntary, not compulsory.
- ✘ The State Election Commissioner is appointed by the Governor, not the Election Commission of India.
- ✘ PESA covers Fifth Schedule areas; Sixth Schedule areas have their own councils.
What is the difference between the 73rd and 74th Amendments?
The 73rd Amendment (Part IX, 11th Schedule with 29 subjects) gave constitutional status to rural panchayats. The 74th Amendment (Part IXA, 12th Schedule with 18 subjects) did the same for urban local bodies — nagar panchayats, municipal councils and municipal corporations.
Which committee recommended constitutional status for panchayats?
The L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986). Its recommendation was eventually implemented through the 73rd Amendment in 1992.