Local Government: Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies

TOPIC CLASSIFICATION

Subject: Indian Polity - Local Government
Sub-topic: Panchayati Raj Institutions (73rd Amendment) & Urban Local Bodies (74th Amendment)
Mains GS Paper-II: Devolution of powers and finances to local bodies; role in development; 73rd/74th Amendment provisions.

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EXAMINER REASONING

This is a high-yield, frequently asked topic. Prelims targets the constitutional provisions (11th/12th Schedules, Art. 243 series, reservation quotas). Mains asks you to critically evaluate the functioning of PRIs in the context of devolution (finance commission, Gram Sabha role) or compare rural and urban governance. The Statement Elimination format is especially common here - confusion between PESA and 73rd Amendment features.

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Core Concept

Panchayati Raj (Part IX, Art. 243-243O; 73rd Amendment, 1992) Three-tier structure in states with population >20 lakh:

• Gram Panchayat (village level)
• Panchayat Samiti / Block Samiti (intermediate level)
• Zila Parishad (district level)

Key features:

• Direct elections for all tiers; Gram Sabha is the foundation
• Reservation: SC/ST in proportion to population; 1/3 for women (including SC/ST women)
• Duration: 5 years; re-election within 6 months if dissolved
• State Election Commission to conduct PRI elections
• State Finance Commission every 5 years for financial devolution
• 11th Schedule lists...