panchayat raj

The panchayati raj system is a form of rural local self-government in India. It operates on a three-tier structure: gram panchayats at the village level, panchayat samitis at the block level, and zilla parishads at the district level. This system is rooted in the Vedic principle of panchayat, meaning "council of five".123

Rajasthan was the first state to implement panchayati raj in 1959, embracing the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi regarding the importance of traditional village institutions. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 granted constitutional status to these institutions, making elections mandatory and reserving seats for women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. The system aims to decentralize governance and empower local communities, though challenges remain in fully transferring functions, funds, and staff to these bodies.41