The Gist of Kurukshetra: April 2014
Panchayati Raj – Three Tier System in India
The Panchayati Raj is a South Asian Political system mainly
in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. The world “Panchayat” literally means
“assembly” of five wise and respected elders chosen and accepted by the local
community.
Panchayati Raj is a system of governance in which gram
Panchayats are the basic units of administration. Mahatma Gandhi advocated
Panchayati Raj, a decentralized form of government. It is the oldest system of
local government in the Indian sub continent. This system was adopted by state
governments during the 1950s and 60s as laws were passed to establish Panchayats
in various states. It also found backing in Indian constitution with the 73rd
Amendment 1992 to accommodate the idea. In the history of Panchayati Raj in
India, on 24th April, 1993, the constitution (73rd Amendment) Act 1992 came into
force to provide constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj institutions.
The Three-Tier System of Panchayati Raj in India
The states of Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Meghalaya,
Nagaland and Sikkim have two-tier Panchayats – one at the village level and the
second at the zila or District level. In all other states Panchayati Raj is a
three-tier system-village as first level, block or janapad as second level and
zila or district as the third level.
Village Level
Village is the basic unit of Panchayati Raj Institutions. It
is generally a revenue unit. The unit of local government here is called village
Panchayat. In the structure of the Panchayati Raj, the village Panchayat is the
lowest unit. The Panchayat chiefly consists of representatives elected by the
people of the village.
Only the persons who are registered as voters and do not hold
any office of profit under the government are eligible for election to the
Panchayat. The persons convicted by the court for criminal offences are
disqualified from election of the Panchayat.
There is also provision for co-option of two women and one member of the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, if they do not get adequate
representation in the normal course.