- Jawahar Lal Nehru believed as the school of democracy.
- In article 40 of Directive Principles of State Policy, state government is directed to form the panchayats and to give them powers.
- To encourage the public participation in the Panchayati Raj Institutions, the United 'Community Development Program' was launched on 2nd October, 1952 on the basis of recommendations of K.M. Munshi committee.
- In 1957, Balwant Rai Mehta committee recommended for the formation of the Panchayati Raj institution at three levels.
Village Level :- Gram Panchayat.
Block Level :- Panchayat Committee District Level :- District Council
- This committee emphasized specially on Panchayat committee and recommended for the democratic decentralization.
- The Panchayati Raj was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 2nd October 1959 at Bagadari village of Nagaur district in Rajasthan.
- Rajasthan was the first state in implementation of Panchayati Raj and Andhra Pradesh was the second one.
- The 'Ashok Mehta' committee formed in 1977 recommended for formation of two level panchayats.
District Council Board of Panchayat
- This committee emphasized specially on district Council and recommended for the reservation of SC/ST and party position of political parties in the Panchayati Raj institutions.
- The 'Lakshmi Lal Singhavi Committee' formed in 1986 recommended for providing the constitutional recognization to the Panchayati Raj Institutions, and to establish the Gram Sabha to conduct the regular election and to announce the panchayats as 'Third Factor of Governance'.
- The provision for constitutional recognization to the Panchayati Raj Institutions was attempted by the Rajiv Gandhi government through the constitutional amendment 64, but could not be success in the Rajya Sabha.
NOTE :-
Balvant Rai Mehta Committee - 1957
Ashok Mehta Committee - 1977
P.K. Thungan Committee - 1988
L.M. Singhavi Committee - 1986
Mirgha Committee - 1991
The Constitutional Amendment 73 -
- The following are the significance of this Amendment :-
- The panchayats were provided the Constitutional Recognisation.
- Panchayati Raj provided the approval at three levels.
- The states with population less than 20 lakh were allowed to establish the middle level - Panchayat committee.
- Recognisation to the Gram Sabha Article( 243a ) - Under this article on adult registered voter for the village are included and the State Legislator has the authority to make a law regarding this.
- The term for the Panchayati Raj Institutions is for 5 years.
- The minimum age for partipitations as a candidate in the elections of Panchayati Raj Institutions is 21 years.
- SC / ST are provided tire Reservations in the Ration of their population.
- 1/3 seats are reserved for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions which is now 50% through the amendment 9.
- The provision for state Election Commission is given for regular election of the Panchayati Raj institutions.
- The State Finance Commission is provided for the financial review of The Panchayati Raj institutions.
- The states were authorised to provide the representation of MLA and MP in the middle of (Panchayati) Levels and the Upper Level (District Council).
