PANCHAYATI RAJ AND URBAN LOCAL BODIES

PANCHAYATI RAJ COMMITTEES

Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957)

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee recommended the establishment of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system. It suggested:

• Village Panchayat at village level as the executive body
• Panchayat Samiti at block level
• Zila Parishad at district level

The committee recommended:

• direct election for Village Panchayat representatives
• indirect election for Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad members

It also proposed that the:

• District Collector should act as the Chairman of Zila Parishad

Ashok Mehta Committee (1977)

The Ashok Mehta Committee recommended a two-tier system consisting of:

• Zila Parishad
• Mandal Panchayat

The committee suggested:

• district should become the first point of decentralisation
• creation of Nyaya Panchayat
• elections should be conducted within 6 months from the date of supersession
• reservation of seats for SCs and STs on the basis of population

It treated:

• Zila Parishad as the executive body

GVK Rao Committee (1985)

The GVK Rao Committee recommended:

• creation of a District Development Commissioner
• the commissioner should function as the CEO of Zila Parishad

Dantwala Committee (1978)

The Dantwala Committee focused on:

• Block level planning

Hanumantha Rao Committee (1984)

The Hanumantha Rao Committee focused on:

• District level planning

The committee advocated:

• establishment of separate district planning bodies
• these bodies should function under either:
  • the District Collector
  • or a Minister

LM Singhvi Committee (1986)

The LM Singhvi Committee recommended:

• free and fair elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions
• granting constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions
• establishment of Nyaya Panchayat for a cluster of villages

PK Thungon Committee (1988)

The PK Thungon Committee recommended:

• a three-tier Panchayati Raj system
• Panchayats at:
  • village level
  • block level
  • district level

The committee further recommended:

• Zila Parishad should become the pivot of Panchayati Raj system
• it should function as the planning and development agency in the district
• Panchayati Raj bodies should have a fixed tenure of five years
• maximum period of supersession should be 6 months
• District Collector should act as the Chief Executive Officer of Zila Parishad

Gadgil Committee (1988)

The Gadgil Committee recommended:

• members at all three levels should be directly elected
• reservation for:
  • SCs
  • STs
  • Women

The committee also recommended:

• Panchayati Raj bodies should be empowered to:
  • levy taxes
  • collect taxes
  • appropriate taxes and duties

It further suggested:

• establishment of a State Finance Commission for allocation of finances to Panchayats
• establishment of a State Election Commission for conducting Panchayat elections

CONSTITUTIONALISATION OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

The process of constitutionalisation of Panchayati Raj evolved through multiple stages.

Rajiv Gandhi Government (1989)

The government introduced:

64th Constitutional Amendment Bill

The bill was:

• passed in the Lok Sabha
• but not approved by the Rajya Sabha

VP Singh Government (1990)

The government introduced:

• a fresh Panchayati Raj Bill

However:

• the government fell
• and the bill lapsed

Narasimha Rao Government

The Panchayati Raj constitutional amendment was finally passed on:

24 April 1993

through:

73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992

IMPORTANT CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS

Fifth Schedule

The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 applies to:

10 States

covered under the provisions of the Fifth Schedule

Article 244

Article 244 deals with:

• administration of tribal areas in states under the Sixth Schedule

The Constitution provides:

10 Autonomous District Councils

in:

4 States

Article 243I

Article 243I provides that:

• the Governor of a State
  shall constitute a Finance Commission

for reviewing the financial position of Panchayats.

Article 243K

Article 243K provides that:

• the State Election Commission
  conducts elections of urban bodies.

PANCHAYATI RAJ STRUCTURE

The Panchayati Raj structure includes:

1. Zila Panchayat
2. Janpad Panchayat at Block Level or Taluka
3. Gram Panchayat

Any member of the Panchayat Samiti can initiate:

• a No-Confidence Motion
  against the Chairman of Panchayat Samiti.

URBAN LOCAL BODIES

Municipal Corporations

Municipal Corporations consist of:

• Councillors through:
  • Direct Election
  • Nomination

The structure includes:

• Mayor as head
• tenure of Mayor:
  • 1 year
  • renewable

It also includes:

• Deputy Mayor

Municipality

Municipality structure includes:

• Councillors through Direct Election
• President / Chairman
• Vice-President / Vice-Chairman

Notified Area Committee

The Notified Area Committee consists of:

• Chairman
• Members

All members are:

Nominated

Town Area Committee

The Town Area Committee may consist of:

• wholly elected members
• wholly nominated members
• partially elected members
• partially nominated members

Cantonment Board

The Cantonment Board functions under:

Ministry of Defence (Central Government)

The board may consist of:

• partially elected or partially nominated members

Elected Members

• tenure:
  • 5 years

The:

• Vice-President is elected

Nominated Members

• function as Ex-officio Members
• have:
  • no fixed tenure

The:

• Presidentof the Cantonment Board is the:
  • Commanding Officer

Category-I Cantonment Board

For population:

50,000 and above

the board consists of:

• 1 Military Commanding Officer
• 1 Executive Engineer
• 1 Health Officer
• 1 First Class Magistrate
• 3 Military Officers
• 8 Elected Members
• 1 CEO

Township

Township is a form of urban local administration.

Port Trust

Port Trust consists of:

• Nominated Members
• Directly elected members

Special Purpose or Functional Local Bodies

These are established for:

• specific functions
• special administrative purposes