Panchayati Raj (with Bihar focus)

Panchayati Raj means local self-government in rural areas — village people running their own village. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 turned this idea into a constitutional guarantee. For BPSC this chapter is a big Bihar differentiator: Bihar was the first state in India to give 50% reservation to women in Panchayats. Learn the three tiers, the 73rd Amendment details, and the Bihar fact, and you can score full marks here.

What is Panchayati Raj & the 73rd Amendment

Panchayati Raj is a system of local self-government in rural areas, so that decisions about a village are taken by the villagers themselves. Before 1992 panchayats existed only because state laws allowed them — they had no protection in the Constitution.

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). It added Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O) and the 11th Schedule, which lists 29 subjects/functions that can be handed over to panchayats.

⚠️ Rural vs Urban — do not mix up
A very common trap: the 73rd Amendment = rural (Panchayats) and the 74th Amendment = urban (Municipalities). The 74th added Part IXA and the 12th Schedule (18 subjects). If a question says "Panchayats", the answer is 73rd.
🧠 Memory trick
Remember "73 = 7 letters in RURAL... almost!" Simpler: odd-first-73 for the village (gaon), 74 for the town. 73 → Panchayat, 74 → Nagarpalika.

The Three-Tier Structure & Gram Sabha

The 73rd Amendment created a uniform three-tier system across the country. The intermediate tier (block level) is optional for states with a population below 20 lakh.

The three tiers of Panchayati Raj
TierBodyLevel
LowestGram PanchayatVillage level
MiddlePanchayat SamitiIntermediate / Block level (optional if population below 20 lakh)
HighestZila ParishadDistrict level
🎯 Gram Sabha — the foundation
The Gram Sabha is the body of all registered voters of a village. It is the foundation of the whole system — it is the only permanent, directly democratic body where every adult villager is a member. The Gram Panchayat is elected, but the Gram Sabha is everyone.

Elections to PRIs are conducted by the State Election Commission (SEC) — not the Election Commission of India. The term of every panchayat is 5 years, and fresh elections must be held before the term ends (or within 6 months if it is dissolved early).

⚠️ Exam trap
Trap alert: PRI elections are held by the State Election Commission, appointed by the Governor — not by the Election Commission of India. Confusing the two is a favourite BPSC trick.

Reservation & the Key Committees

  • Seats are reserved for SCs and STs in proportion to their population in that panchayat area.
  • Originally, not less than one-third (1/3) of all seats (and of chairperson posts) were reserved for women.
How Panchayati Raj developed
  1. 1957
    Balwant Rai Mehta Committee recommended a three-tier system.
  2. 2 Oct 1959
    Rajasthan (Nagaur district) became the first state to inaugurate Panchayati Raj; Andhra Pradesh followed.
  3. 1977
    Ashok Mehta Committee recommended a two-tier system.
  4. 1992
    73rd Amendment gave constitutional status to PRIs (Part IX, 11th Schedule).
  5. 2006
    Bihar became the first state to give 50% reservation to women in PRIs.
🧠 Memory trick
Mnemonic for the committees: "B for three, A for two" — Balwant Rai Mehta = three-tier; Ashok Mehta = two-tier. And the first state is Rajasthan (2 October 1959, Nagaur).

Key Articles of Part IX You Must Know

ArticleProvision
243AGram Sabha may exercise such powers as the state legislature provides by law.
243DReservation of seats for SC/ST (in proportion to population) and for women (not less than 1/3), including chairperson posts.
243EDuration of panchayats = 5 years; a dissolved panchayat must have fresh elections within 6 months.
243GState legislatures may endow panchayats with powers for economic development and social justice, including implementation of the 11th Schedule's 29 subjects.
243-IThe Governor constitutes a State Finance Commission every 5 years to recommend how taxes/grants are distributed between the state and panchayats.
243KThe State Election Commission superintends, directs and conducts elections to panchayats.
243ZGBars courts from interfering in matters relating to the delimitation of constituencies or allotment of seats to such constituencies.
🎯 PESA Act, 1996
The 73rd Amendment did not automatically apply to Scheduled Areas (Fifth Schedule tribal areas). Parliament separately passed the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) to extend Panchayati Raj to these areas with modifications — giving the Gram Sabha special powers to approve development plans, manage minor forest produce and minor water bodies, control land alienation, and be consulted before land acquisition. PESA currently applies in parts of 10 states; the Scheduled Areas of undivided Bihar are now entirely in Jharkhand (post-2000), which is why present-day Bihar itself has no PESA area.

Bihar Focus — 50% Reservation for Women

📖 Bihar leads the nation
In 2006, Bihar became the FIRST state in India to provide 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions — going well beyond the one-third minimum set by the 73rd Amendment. This bold step brought a large number of women into rural leadership, and many other states later followed Bihar. This is the single most important Bihar fact in this chapter for BPSC.

Because of this, in Bihar half of all seats and chairperson posts in Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads are reserved for women. If a BPSC question asks which state was first to give women 50% reservation in panchayats, the answer is always Bihar.

Key takeaways

  • Panchayati Raj = local self-government in rural areas. The 73rd Amendment, 1992 gave it constitutional status via Part IX (Articles 243–243-O) and the 11th Schedule (29 subjects).
  • Three tiers: Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (block), Zila Parishad (district). Middle tier is optional if population is below 20 lakh.
  • Gram Sabha = all registered voters of a village — the foundation of the system.
  • PRI elections are held by the State Election Commission (not ECI); term = 5 years.
  • Committees: Balwant Rai Mehta (1957) → three-tier; Ashok Mehta (1977) → two-tier. Rajasthan (Nagaur, 2 Oct 1959) was the first state, followed by Andhra Pradesh.
  • Reservation: SC/ST in proportion to population; women originally not less than one-third (1/3).
  • BIHAR: first state in India (2006) to give 50% reservation to women in Panchayats — the key Bihar fact for BPSC.
  • 73rd = rural (Panchayats), 74th = urban (Municipalities) — never mix them up.
  • Key articles: 243D (SC/ST/women reservation), 243E (5-year term, re-election within 6 months of dissolution), 243G (powers over 11th Schedule subjects), 243-I (State Finance Commission every 5 years), 243K (State Election Commission), 243ZG (bars courts from election disputes).
  • The 73rd Amendment does not automatically apply to Scheduled Areas — the PESA Act, 1996 extends Panchayati Raj there with modifications, giving the Gram Sabha special powers. Undivided Bihar's Scheduled Areas are now in Jharkhand, so present-day Bihar has no PESA area.

Practice questions (11)

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.

  1. Which Constitutional Amendment gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions?

    1. 72nd Amendment, 1992
    2. 73rd Amendment, 1992
    3. 74th Amendment, 1992
    4. 44th Amendment, 1978
    Show answer

    Answer: B — 73rd Amendment, 1992

    The 73rd Amendment (1992) gave constitutional status to PRIs and added Part IX and the 11th Schedule. The 74th Amendment deals with urban local bodies.

  2. Which state was the first in India to provide 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions?

    1. Rajasthan
    2. Bihar
    3. Andhra Pradesh
    4. Madhya Pradesh
    Show answer

    Answer: B — Bihar

    In 2006 Bihar became the first state in India to give 50% reservation to women in PRIs, going beyond the one-third minimum set by the 73rd Amendment.

  3. The 73rd Amendment added which new Part and Schedule to the Constitution?

    1. Part IXA and the 12th Schedule
    2. Part IX and the 11th Schedule
    3. Part VIII and the 10th Schedule
    4. Part IV and the 9th Schedule
    Show answer

    Answer: B — Part IX and the 11th Schedule

    The 73rd Amendment added Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O) and the 11th Schedule, which lists 29 subjects. Part IXA and the 12th Schedule belong to the 74th Amendment (urban).

  4. Elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions are conducted by:

    1. The Election Commission of India
    2. The State Election Commission
    3. The District Collector
    4. The Gram Sabha
    Show answer

    Answer: B — The State Election Commission

    PRI elections are conducted by the State Election Commission, not the Election Commission of India. This is a common exam trap.

  5. Which committee (1957) recommended the three-tier Panchayati Raj system?

    1. Ashok Mehta Committee
    2. Balwant Rai Mehta Committee
    3. Sarkaria Commission
    4. L. M. Singhvi Committee
    Show answer

    Answer: B — Balwant Rai Mehta Committee

    The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) recommended a three-tier structure. The Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) later recommended a two-tier structure.

  6. Which state was the first in India to inaugurate the Panchayati Raj system (on 2 October 1959)?

    1. Bihar
    2. Andhra Pradesh
    3. Rajasthan
    4. Gujarat
    Show answer

    Answer: C — Rajasthan

    Rajasthan (Nagaur district) inaugurated Panchayati Raj on 2 October 1959, becoming the first state; Andhra Pradesh followed.

  7. Consider the following statements:
    1. The 73rd Amendment deals with rural local bodies (Panchayats), while the 74th deals with urban local bodies (Municipalities).
    2. The term of every panchayat is five years.
    Which is/are correct?

    1. Only 1
    2. Only 2
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Show answer

    Answer: C — Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct. The 73rd Amendment covers Panchayats (rural) and the 74th covers Municipalities (urban); the term of every panchayat is fixed at five years.

  8. Consider the following statements about the three-tier structure:
    1. The intermediate (block) level is optional for states with a population below 20 lakh.
    2. The Gram Sabha is made up of all registered voters of a village.
    Which is/are correct?

    1. Only 1
    2. Only 2
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Show answer

    Answer: C — Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct. The intermediate tier (Panchayat Samiti) is optional for states with population below 20 lakh, and the Gram Sabha consists of all registered voters of a village — the foundation of the system.

  9. Under Article 243-I, the Governor constitutes a State Finance Commission for panchayats every:

    1. 3 years
    2. 5 years
    3. 6 years
    4. 10 years
    Show answer

    Answer: B — 5 years

    Article 243-I requires the Governor to constitute a State Finance Commission every 5 years to review and recommend the distribution of taxes and grants between the state and panchayats.

  10. The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, commonly known as PESA, was enacted in which year to extend Panchayati Raj to Scheduled Areas?

    1. 1992
    2. 1996
    3. 2002
    4. 2006
    Show answer

    Answer: B — 1996

    PESA was enacted in 1996 because the 73rd Amendment did not automatically apply to Fifth Schedule Scheduled Areas; it extends Panchayati Raj there with special powers for the Gram Sabha.

  11. Which Article bars courts from interfering in matters relating to the delimitation of panchayat constituencies?

    1. Article 243D
    2. Article 243G
    3. Article 243K
    4. Article 243ZG
    Show answer

    Answer: D — Article 243ZG

    Article 243ZG bars courts from interfering in matters relating to delimitation of constituencies or allotment of seats to such constituencies for panchayat elections.