Test: Local Governments

Following the recommendations of Balwant Rai Mehta Report, Rajasthan was the first State in the country to adopt the Panchayati Raj System on 2nd October, 1959. It was followed by Andhra Pradesh and within next few years almost every State established some sort of Panchayati Raj Set-up.

In 1994, the Popular Participation Law decentralized power to the local level, allowing for the popular election of mayors, dividing the country into municipalities and crafting a system of transfer of powers to municipalities.

According to the article 243U of the Indian Constitution, every Municipality, unless sooner dissolved under any law for the time being in force, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer.

There are at least 200 women Adhyakshas in Zila Panchayats, another 2000 women who are Presidents of the block or taluka panchayats and more than 80,000 women Sarpanchas in Gram Panchayats.

The P.K. Thungon Committee set up in 1988 to suggest the type of political and administrative structure in district for district planning, advocated constitutional status for Panchayati raj institutions.

In India, the rural local bodies raise 0.24% of the total revenues collected, they account for 4% of the total expenditure made by the government. So they earn much less than they spend. That makes them dependent on those who give them grants.

According to the article 243S of the Indian Constitution, (1) there shall be constituted Wards Committees, consisting of one or more Wards, within the territorial area of a Municipality having a population of three lakhs or more. (2) The Legislature of a State may, by law, make provision with respect to - (a) the composition and the territorial area of a Wards Committee.(b) the manner in which the seats in a Wards Committee shall be filled.

The Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992 accorded the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) a constitutional status.

One third of the positions in all panchayat institutions are reserved for women. Reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are also provided for all the three levels, in proportion to their population.

If the State government dissolves the Panchayat before the end of its five year term, then fresh elections must be held within six months of such a dissolution.