Government, administration and Panchayati Raj
2. The Vidhan Sabha and the Council of Ministers
The Vidhan Sabha has 90 elected members. After the 2008 delimitation, 10 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 29 for Scheduled Tribes (earlier 34 were reserved for Scheduled Tribes), a pattern that reflects the state's tribal share. The House runs for five years from its first meeting (Article 172), the gap between two sittings cannot exceed six months (Article 174), and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected by members (Article 178). The state sends 11 members to the Lok Sabha and 5 to the Rajya Sabha. Chhattisgarh is unicameral; a Legislative Council can be created only by Parliament by law after the Assembly passes a resolution by a special majority (Article 169).
The Council of Ministers, headed by the Chief Minister, is collectively responsible to the Vidhan Sabha (Article 164(2)). The 91st Amendment (2003) capped the Council at 15% of the strength of the Assembly, with a floor of 12 ministers (Article 164(1A)). For a House of 90 members, 15% is 13.5, a fraction the Article does not resolve: the Council has been 13 and, since 20 August 2025, 14 members including the Chief Minister, a size the opposition disputed (news reports, August 2025). Never key an answer on the 90-seat figure; the floor of 12 and the 15% rule are the examinable core. The Governor acts on the aid and advice of the Council except in matters where the Constitution gives discretion, promulgates ordinances when the House is not in session (Article 213) and reserves bills for the President (Article 200).
3. Judiciary and legal officers
The Chhattisgarh High Court has its principal seat at Bilaspur. Its Judges are appointed by the President under Article 217 after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, the Governor of the state and the Chief Justice of the High Court; the Chief Minister is not named in the text. A High Court Judge retires at 62, may be removed only as a Supreme Court Judge is, and has writ jurisdiction under Article 226, wider than the Supreme Court's under Article 32 because it covers rights beyond the fundamental ones.
The subordinate judiciary is under the High Court's control (Article 235). District Judges are appointed by the Governor in consultation with the High Court (Article 233), and judicial officers below them are recruited through the Governor and the Public Service Commission with the High Court's consultation (Article 234). Lok Adalats and legal-services authorities, under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, bring justice to the door, which matters in Bastar and Surguja where distance is the barrier. The Advocate General (Article 165) is the state's chief law officer.
4. Administrative structure: divisions, districts and the district machinery
Land-revenue administration descends in a fixed ladder under the land revenue law the state inherited from Madhya Pradesh (the Land Revenue Code, 1959, as adapted): Division under a Commissioner; District under a Collector, who is the District Magistrate and head of district administration; Sub-division under a Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue); Tahsil under a Tahsildar; then the Revenue Inspector's circle and the Patwari's halka. The development ladder runs parallel: block (Janpad Panchayat) under a Chief Executive Officer, and district Zila Panchayat with its CEO. The Collector chairs district-level committees and coordinates law and order with the Superintendent of Police.
| When | Event | Districts after |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 2000 | State formed | 16 |
| 11 May 2007 | Bijapur and Narayanpur carved out | 18 |
| 1 Jan 2012 | Nine new districts, including Bemetara, Balod and Surajpur | 27 |
| 10 Feb 2020 | Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi | 28 |
| September 2022 | Five new: Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Sakti | 33 |
As of October 2026 the state is grouped into five revenue divisions (proposals for more have been reported): Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Surguja and Bastar. The Bastar division is the clearest to memorise: Bastar, Kondagaon, Kanker, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma (seven districts). Counts of districts, tahsils and blocks are perishable: when asked, give the date, and remember that a district's creation is by executive notification under the land revenue law, not by a constitutional amendment.
5. Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992), in force from 24 April 1993, inserted Part IX (Articles 243 to 243O) and the Eleventh Schedule of 29 subjects. Chhattisgarh runs it under the Panchayat Raj Act inherited from Madhya Pradesh's 1993 law, adapted for the state. The structure is three-tier: Gram Panchayat (village), Janpad Panchayat (block, the intermediate level) and Zila Panchayat (district), under the Gram Sabha of all registered voters of a village (Article 243A). Key constitutional rules: direct election and a five-year term (243E), fresh election within six months of dissolution, reservation for SC, ST and women (243D), a State Election Commission under the Governor-appointed Commissioner (243K) and a State Finance Commission every five years (243I).
Scheduled areas. Much of Chhattisgarh, especially the Bastar and Surguja regions, falls under the Fifth Schedule. The Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) extends Part IX to such areas with modifications that make the Gram Sabha the guardian of the community's traditions, resources and dispute-resolution; it does not apply to Sixth Schedule areas. Chhattisgarh notified rules under PESA in August 2022, after years in which the national law had no state rules. Reports on those rules differ on the composition and quorum of the Gram Sabha, so read the notified text before quoting any number.
Urban bodies. The 74th Amendment (1992) inserted Part IXA (Articles 243P to 243ZG) and the Twelfth Schedule of 18 subjects. Bodies are Nagar Nigam (municipal corporation) for large cities, Nagar Palika Parishad (municipal council) for smaller towns and Nagar Panchayat for areas in transition; the state laws are the Chhattisgarh Municipal Corporation Act, 1956 and the Chhattisgarh Municipalities Act, 1961, both inherited from Madhya Pradesh. Article 243ZD requires a District Planning Committee to consolidate rural and urban plans. The mode of electing mayors and presidents is set by state law and has been changed by successive governments, so treat it as perishable.
6. Commissions and watchdogs of the state
| Body | Basis | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Public Service Commission | Articles 315 to 323 | Recruitment exams; Governor appoints, term 6 years or age 62; only the President removes, after a Supreme Court inquiry |
| State Election Commission | Article 243K, 243ZA | Panchayat and municipal polls |
| State Finance Commission | Article 243I | Local-body finances every five years |
| State Information Commission | RTI Act, 2005, section 15 | Appeals and complaints on information |
| Lok Aayog (Lokayukta) | Chhattisgarh Lok Aayog Adhiniyam, 2002 (Act 30 of 2002) | Inquiry into corruption complaints |
The Lok Aayog consists of a Pramukh Lokayukt (a person who has been a High Court Judge or held higher judicial office) and one or more Lokayukts (section 3 of the 2002 Act; the body is commonly described as two-member), appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, who consults the Chief Justice of the High Court and the Speaker. The term is five years with no re-appointment (section 4). Removal is only by the Governor on proven misbehaviour or incapacity after an address of the Vidhan Sabha supported by a majority of its total membership and two-thirds of those present and voting (section 5). The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (section 63) required every state to establish its Lokayukta within a year, so the state body now sits in the national frame while keeping its own Act.
The State Information Commission is appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a committee of the Chief Minister (chair), the Leader of the Opposition and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the Chief Minister; the Speaker is not on it. The Governor also receives the CAG's audit reports on the state's accounts (Article 151), which the Public Accounts Committee of the Vidhan Sabha then examines.
Key takeaways
- Chhattisgarh was created by the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 (Articles 3 and 4) and took effect on 1 November 2000, with 16 districts; many of its laws are adapted Madhya Pradesh laws.
- The Vidhan Sabha is unicameral with 90 seats (10 SC, 29 ST after the 2008 delimitation); under Article 164(1A) the Council of Ministers is capped at 15% of the House with a floor of 12 (for 90 seats 15% is 13.5, a fraction the text leaves open; the Council was 14 from August 2025).
- The High Court sits at Bilaspur; Article 217 names the CJI, the Governor and the Chief Justice of the High Court for judges' appointment, and Articles 233 to 235 govern the subordinate judiciary.
- The revenue ladder is Division (Commissioner), District (Collector), Sub-division, Tahsil, Revenue Inspector, Patwari; districts grew 16, 18, 27, 28, 33 through 2007, 2012, 2020 and 2022 (33 after September 2022).
- Panchayati Raj follows the 73rd Amendment (Part IX): Gram, Janpad and Zila Panchayats under the Gram Sabha; PESA 1996 extends it to Fifth Schedule areas and the state notified rules in August 2022.
- The state's watchdogs have fixed bases: the PSC (Articles 315 to 323), the State Election and Finance Commissions (243K, 243I), the Information Commission (RTI Act section 15) and the Lok Aayog (2002 Act).
Practice questions (17)
Attempt each one before opening the answer. Every explanation names the tempting wrong option as well as the right one, because that is where marks are lost.
Chhattisgarh came into existence on 1 November 2000 under which law?
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Answer: A — The Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000
The Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 (Act 28 of 2000), dated 25 August 2000, effective from the appointed day, 1 November 2000. The 1956 Act reorganised states on linguistic lines and the 91st Amendment concerns the size of Councils of Ministers, so neither created Chhattisgarh.After the 2008 delimitation, the 90-member Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha has how many seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and how many for Scheduled Castes?
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Answer: B — 29 for Scheduled Tribes and 10 for Scheduled Castes
The delimitation of 2008 cut Scheduled Tribe seats from 34 to 29 and left 10 for Scheduled Castes, 39 reserved in all. The figure of 34 is the earlier allotment, and 32 is not a seat allotment of that delimitation at all.Article 164(1A), inserted by the 91st Amendment (2003), limits the Council of Ministers of a State, including the Chief Minister, to 15 per cent of the Assembly's strength, subject to a minimum of 12. For a State whose Legislative Assembly has 200 members, the maximum size of the Council is:
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Answer: C — 30
Fifteen per cent of 200 is exactly 30, so no fraction arises (a fraction, as with 15 per cent of 90, is left unresolved by the text and is disputed in practice). The figure of 12 is only the floor for small Houses, 20 would be 10 per cent, and 35 would be 17.5 per cent, above the cap.Which of the following is correct about the creation of a Legislative Council in a State such as Chhattisgarh, which has a unicameral legislature?
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Answer: B — The Assembly passes a resolution by special majority and Parliament then makes a law under Article 169
Article 169 lets Parliament create or abolish a Council by law once the Assembly passes a resolution by a special majority. The Governor cannot do so by ordinance, and the amendment route would apply only if the Constitution's text had to change, which Article 169(3) says it does not.Which authority appoints the Governor of a State such as Chhattisgarh under Article 155?
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Answer: D — The President of India
Article 155 says the Governor is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal, and holds office during the President's pleasure. The Chief Minister advises the Governor but does not appoint him, which is the tempting error under the federal principle.According to the text of Article 217(1), in appointing a Judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court the President consults all of the following EXCEPT:
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Answer: D — the Chief Minister of the State
Article 217(1) names the Chief Justice of India, the Governor and the Chief Justice of the High Court. The Chief Minister is not named, though the Governor acts on the state's advice in practice, which is why the option looks natural.The Chhattisgarh Government's figures for the number of districts at five dates are: 16 at formation in 2000, 18 in 2007, 27 in 2012, 28 in 2020 and 33 after September 2022. How many districts were added in 2012 and 2022 together?
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Answer: A — 14
In 2012 the count rose from 18 to 27 (nine added) and in 2022 from 28 to 33 (five added), a total of 14. Adding the single 2020 district gives 15, and counting only the 2012 batch gives 9, so those are the traps.Which is the correct descending order of land-revenue administration units in Chhattisgarh?
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Answer: C — Division, District, Sub-division, Tahsil, Patwari halka
The ladder runs Division (Commissioner), District (Collector), Sub-division (SDO Revenue), Tahsil (Tahsildar) and then the Patwari's halka. A sequence that places a sub-division above its district, or tahsil above sub-division, breaks the nesting of areas.In Chhattisgarh's three-tier Panchayati Raj system, the intermediate (block) level is the:
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Answer: B — Janpad Panchayat
The state's tiers are Gram Panchayat at village level, Janpad Panchayat at block level and Zila Panchayat at district level. The Gram Sabha is the body of all voters of the village, not a tier, and a Nagar Panchayat is an urban body.Consider the following about the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. P: It inserted Part IX (Articles 243 to 243O) in the Constitution. Q: Panchayat elections are conducted by the Election Commission of India. R: The State Election Commissioner is appointed by the Governor under Article 243K. S: The Eleventh Schedule lists 29 subjects for Panchayats. Which statements are correct?
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Answer: B — P, R and S only
P, R and S are correct: Part IX, the Governor-appointed State Election Commissioner under Article 243K and the 29 subjects of the Eleventh Schedule. Q is wrong because local-body polls are run by the State Election Commission, while the Election Commission of India conducts Parliament and State Assembly polls.Consider the following about PESA, the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996. P: It extends Part IX of the Constitution to Fifth Schedule areas with modifications. Q: Chhattisgarh notified rules under it in August 2022. R: It applies to the Sixth Schedule areas of the North-East. S: It makes the Gram Sabha competent to safeguard the community's traditions and resources. Which statements are correct?
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Answer: A — P, Q and S only
PESA extends Part IX to Fifth Schedule areas, Chhattisgarh notified its rules in August 2022, and the Act makes the Gram Sabha the guardian of traditions and community resources. R is wrong because the Sixth Schedule areas of the North-East have their own district and regional councils.The anti-corruption ombudsman of Chhattisgarh is constituted under which law, and who heads it?
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Answer: A — The Chhattisgarh Lok Aayog Adhiniyam, 2002; the Pramukh Lokayukt
The Chhattisgarh Lok Aayog Adhiniyam, 2002 (Act 30 of 2002) created the body, headed by the Pramukh Lokayukt, with one or more Lokayukts as the other members. The 2013 Act requires states to have a Lokayukta but is the national law, and the Prevention of Corruption Act is a criminal statute, not an ombudsman law.Under section 15 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, a State Information Commissioner is appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a committee. Which of the following is NOT a member of that committee?
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Answer: C — The Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha
Section 15(3) names the Chief Minister as chair, the Leader of the Opposition and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the Chief Minister. The Speaker, who presides over the House, is not on the committee, a plausible guess because the Speaker sits in similar panels for other bodies.Consider the following about a State Public Service Commission under Articles 315 to 323. P: Each State has a Public Service Commission. Q: Its Chairman and members are appointed by the Governor. R: A member can be removed by the Governor for misbehaviour. S: A member holds office for six years or until the age of 62, whichever is earlier. Which statements are correct?
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Answer: D — P, Q and S only
P, Q and S are correct (Articles 315, 316). R fails: although the Governor appoints, only the President can remove a member for misbehaviour, and only after the Supreme Court reports on a reference (Article 317). The Governor can suspend pending that inquiry but not remove.Match each body with the Article that provides for it. P: State Election Commission. Q: State Finance Commission. R: District Planning Committee. S: Advocate General of the State. Articles:
(i) 165.
(ii) 243I.
(iii) 243K.
(iv) 243ZD. Which pairing is correct?Show answer
Answer: B — P-iii, Q-ii, R-iv, S-i
The State Election Commission is Article 243K, the State Finance Commission 243I, the District Planning Committee 243ZD and the Advocate General Article 165. Swapping 243K and 243I is the easiest slip, since both are Part IX provisions beginning with the number 243.Arrange these district-creating events of Chhattisgarh in chronological order. P: Creation of Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi. Q: Carving out of Bijapur and Narayanpur. R: Creation of Sakti and Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur. S: Creation of nine new districts including Bemetara and Surajpur.
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Answer: A — Q, S, P, R
Bijapur and Narayanpur came in 2007, the nine districts on 1 January 2012, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi in February 2020 and Sakti with Manendragarh in September 2022. The order that puts 2020 after 2022 is the common error.The principal seat of the Chhattisgarh High Court is at:
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Answer: D — Bilaspur
The High Court of Chhattisgarh sits at Bilaspur. Raipur is the seat of the state government, so it is the usual wrong guess, and Durg and Jagdalpur host district courts only.