Panchayati Raj &

Local Self Government

Power & Functions
Panchayati Raj
Panchayati Raj is an important feature of the Indian political system which ensures the direct participation of people at the
grass roots level.
After independence the framers of the Constitution decided to give them importance and under Article 40 of the Directive
Principles directed the states to organize village panchayats as units of self government.
A number of committees were appointed like the Balwantrai Mehta committee and Ashok Mehta committee to suggest
measures for the improvement of the working of Panchayati Raj institutions.
The Constitution passed the 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts, 1992 which was related to working of Panchayats and
Municipalities.

three-tier system of Panchayats

The Constitution envisages a three-tier system of Panchayats namely:
(a) The village level;
(b) The District Panchayat at the district level;
(c) The Intermediate Panchayat which stands between the village and district Panchayats in the States where the
population is above 20 lakhs.
All the seats in a Panchayat shall be filled by persons chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the
Panchayat area.
The electorate has been named Gram Sabha consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village
comprised within the area of a Panchayat.
Seats shall be reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and woman.
A State may by law make provision for similar reservation of the offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats at the village
and other levels.
The Chairperson is elected according to the law passed by the State.

Composition of Gram Sabha:

A Gram Sabha consists of all the adults i.e. voters (persons above the age of 18 years) living in the area of a Gram
Panchayat i.e., village or a group of small villages. The Gram Sabha has been now recognized as a legal body.
The membership of a Village Panchayat is Between 5 to 31. In most of the states, a village Panchayat has 5 to 9
members. The members of the Panchayat are called Panches. All the voters of a village elect them by a secret ballot. In
every Panchayat, 1/3rd of seats are reserved for women. Seats are also reserved for persons belongScheduled Castes
and Schedule Tribes.

Duration of a Panchayat: Each Panchayat shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. But it can be
dissolved earlier in accordance with the procedure prescribed by State Law.

Qualifications for membership: All persons who are qualified to be chosen to the State Legislature shall be qualified to
be chosen as a member of Panchayat. The only difference is that a person who has attained the age of 21 years will be
eligible to be a member of a Panchayat.
Sarpanch
The Sarpanch (Mukhia) of the Panchayat is directly elect by all the voters of the village. Some Sarpanch are now
reserved for women, and some for persons belong to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Sarpanch calls the meetings of the Panchayat and presides over these. He is to call at least one meeting of the
Panchayat per month. The Panches can also request him for calling a special meeting. He has to call such a special
meeting within three days. Sarpanch keeps the records of the meetings of Panchayat. The Panchayat can assign any
special function to him. The members of the Gram Sabha directly elect all members of a Panchayat including the Sarpach
are directly electrets by the members of the Gram Sabha.

Powers and Functions

A village Panchayat works for satisfying the needs of its area in respect of the following matters to upkeep of public
places, sanitation and drains. Wells, water pumps, springs, ponds and tanks for the supply of drinking water and washing
and bathing ghats.
To burial and cremating the grounds.
Building public places and streets. Public health and sanitation.
It also organized and Celebrate of public festivals other than religious festivals.
It improve the breeds of animals used for agricultural or domestic purpose. Public gardens, playgrounds, establishment
and maintenance or recreation parks, Libraries.
A village Panchayat has the power to make necessary rules. It can levy some taxes and collect some fees. It also earns
income form Panchayat property. Gram Panchayat has also the power to settle small disputes among the people of the
village.
Panchayat Samiti
Panchayat Samiti is the second and middle tier of the Panchayati Raj.
In different states it is known by different names.
Madhya Pradesh calls it the Janapada Panchayat, Assam the Anchalik Panchayat,
Tamil Nadu, the Panchayat Union Concil, and
U.P. the Kshetra Samiti.
The Taluka level body is known in Gujrat as the Taluka Panchayat and in Karnataka as the Taluka Development Board.
The most popular name however, happens to be Panchayat Samiti. A Panchayat Samiti is created at the block level. Each
block consists of the areas of several Panchayats.

Powers of a Panchayat Samiti

Development of Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural health, Sanitation Program, It helps Construction, repairs
and maintenance of inter village roads and culverts on such roads and other means of communication. It establish the
community information, recreate centers, establish youth organizations, Mahila Mandals, Farmer Clubs, Villages Clubs
and establish popularization of libraries. It promotes the co-operation by helping the establishment and strengthening of
service co-operative, industrial, irrigation, farming and other cooperative societies.
Funds of a Panchayat Samiti
Their resources mainly consist of a share in the land or local fee and duty on transfer of property, community development
grants and funds allotted by the State government or Zilla Parishad for various schemes these resources are grossly
inadequate.

Zilla Parishad
It is the top tier of the Panchayati Raj. It operates at district level. It looks after the development of the rural areas of the
district. Zilla Parishad is a legal body. It has the power to acquire, hold and dispose of property. It can enter into contracts.
Composition of Zilla Parishad: It has the 10 to 25 directly elected members from all the constituencies falling within the
rural area covered by a Zilla Parishad. Approx. 50000 rural people elected one representative. All chairmen of Panchayat
Samities are falling within the area of the Zilla Parishad.

Functions of the Zilla Parishad

Main functions of Zilla Parishad are development of agriculture, setup and maintain warehouses, train the farmers, land
reclamation and conservation, development of Irrigation, water utilization in an optimum way, rural electrification,
development of animal husbandry, develop of cold storage facilities, small scale and cottage industries, spreading of
education, Celebration of national festivals, encouragement of small savings and to perform such functions as may be
given to it by the state government.
Funds of Zilla Parishad
All money received constitutes a fund called the Zilla Parishad Fund. Funds of the Zilla Parishad are kept in the
government Treasury or Sub-treasury or in a bank. The Secretary of the Zilla Parishad signs all order of expenditure or
cheques against the Zilla Parishad Funds.

Local Self Government

Institutions of self- government in urban areas are called by a general term Municipalities. They are of three types:

(a) Nagar Panchayat, for a transitional area, i.e., an area which is being transformed from a rural areas to an urban area
(b) Municipal Council for a smaller urban area
(c) Municipal Corporation for a larger urban area
Composition of Municipalities
The members of a municipality would generally be elected by direct election. The Legislature of a State may by law
provide for representation in a municipality of:

(1) persons having special knowledge or experience in municipal administration

(2) members of Lok Sabha ,State Assembly, Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council, and
(3) the Chairpersons of Committees .
Seats are to reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as well as for woman.

For one or more wards comprised within the territorial area of a municipality having a population of three lacs or more it
would be obligatory to constitute Ward Committees.

Duration of Municipalities Every municipality shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. But it may
be dissolved earlier according to law.
Qualifications for membership All persons who are qualified to be chosen to the State Legislature shall be qualified
for being a member of the municipality. There is an important difference. Persons who have attained the age of 21 years
will be eligible to be a member while for election to the state legislature a person must have attained the age of 25 years.

Powers and responsibilities

It has been specially been mentioned that they may be given the responsibility of:

(a) preparation of plans for economic development and social justice,

(b) implementation of schemes as may be entrusted to them, and
(c) in regard to matters listed in the 12th Schedule. This schedule contains 18 items, e.g., urban planning, regulation of
land use, roads and bridges, public health etc. A State Legislature may by law authorize a Municipality to levy, collect and
appropriate taxes, duties ,tolls etc.

The State election commission shall have the power to conduct elections to Municipalities. Any doubts with respect to
elections will be examined by any authority as prescribed by the state legislature. The courts will have no jurisdiction in
this matter.

Apart from giving constitutional recognization to Municipalities the 74 th Amendment lays down that in every state two
committees shall be constituted.

(1) At the district level a District Planning Committee

(2) In every metropolitan area a Metropolitan Planning Committee

Election Commission

The Constitution provides for an independent Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections. The Election
Commission consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and such other commissioners as the President may decide from
time to time. In October 1993 the Government promulgated an Act which provided for the appointment of Election
Commissioners. At present there is a Chief Election Commissioner and two other Election Commissioners who are
appointed by the President for a five year term. The term can be cut short on account of resignation or removal by the
President on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity on the recommendations of the Parliament.

Functions of the Election Commission

(1) To superintend, direct and control elections to the Parliament and the state legislature
(2) to conduct elections of the post of the President and Vice President
(3) to lay down general rules for elections
(4) to determine constituencies and to control the preparations of electoral rolls, allot symbols to recognized political
parties
(5) to settle any disputes arising in connection with the elections
(6) conduct counting and declare results
(7) postpone or countermand elections for specific reasons.