Ram Baru & C.P. Sheoran Legal regulations of Panchayat lands in Haryana An empirical study

Introduction

The local self-government in India traces its origin to the hoary past. The village had existed in India from time immemorial. India is called land of villages. About eighty percent of people live in villages. A village was a relatively self-sufficient unit. The local self-government according to Rigveda (Vedas) in Hindus used to lead a

corporate life. They lived in small professional guilds, most of which were either commercial or industrial in nature. The life in those guilds was controlled and regulated by popular institutions called Panchayats. K.P. Jaswal an eminent historian who conducted a thorough research on the ancient political institutions in India, has found from the Vedas that “the national life and activities in the earliest times on record was expressed through popular assemblies and institutions. The greatest institution of this nature was the Smiriti of our Vedic forefathers.’ The task of presenting a connected, complete and comprehensive account of these bodies, especially with regard to their functions at the village level, bristles with difficulties.

The epics and other scriptures, such as ‘Smritis’, the Upnishads and the ‘Jatakas’ also refer to the existence of the village. According to Balmiki Ramayan and Mahabharta, there were two types of village- ‘ghosh’ and ‘gram’.

Ghosh was bigger in size and the gram smaller in size. The official who was administrator was called gramini. The king appointed the gramini who was a person of high repute not in village

but also in the court of the king but the pattern of the administration was the advice of elder persons of the village who were called the ‘gram vridhas’, the Samiti and Panchayat or sabha. The number of these persons were fixed according to.the wishes of the king Kashtriya and Vaishyas also found due representation.3

The sabha was the centre of the multifarious activities of the village. It discussed religious and social matters. All the disputes of the village were referred to it for settlement and adjudication. Since the village used to be a self-contained units very seldom appeals were made against its rules and regulations.

According to historians the local panchayats came into existence in 642 AD during the reign of Raja Harshawardhan. The flag for the Panchyats was sign of sun and the colour was Bhagwa. First Panchayat was organised in 1197 under the rule of Bhim Dev (King) of Hisar.⁴

With the passage of time, the much cherished independence of the village bodies began to diminish. The Muslims, particularly Mughals were essentially an urban people. The fundalistic bent of mind and their quest for larger finance for the state made them centralise their administration. They worked out a new land policy whereunder all lands, situated in village, were integrated into one central revenue system. The provinces, districts and villages were put under the charge of subedars, amalguzars, muquaddams and patwaris.⁵ This system opened the gates of the villages to the outside world. But inspite of all this, they remained much of their old independent character.

Origin and Growth of Local Self Government in Haryana

Urban local self government have been in existence in India in different forms as early as 300 BC, the old literature and archaeological findings give positive evidence of the existence of some form or municipal government in India in the earliest ancient times.⁶ The institutions of Panchayats are as old as the Indian civilization itself. No doubt, the concept of Panchayati Raj is a recent phenomenon, but there is a strong legendary and historical tradition that village panchayats leave been in existence since the very beginning of Indian history. The history of Panchayati Raj in Haryana can be divided into the following periods from the analytical point of view.

1. Vedic Era
2. Epic Era
3. Ancient Period
4. Medieval Period
5. Pre Independence (Colonial)
6. Post Independence

Panchayats or the village councils are as old as India’s history and have been a pat of her tradition. In ‘Discovery of India’ Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru has provided a fairly exhaustive idea about the working of the village Panchayats in ancient India:

1. Vedic Period

The Panchayat is the combination of two words Panch and Ayat, in other words we can say five selected people from the village community who governs the rural people. In old Sanskrit scriptures, there is a word ‘Panchayatan’ which means a group of five persons, including some spiritual man.’ With the passage of time the concept of inclusion of spirituality in man vanished. There is mention of Sabha Samiti, Vidath as local-self-units in or ‘Panch’- the God existed in the ancient age. Yajna or sacrifice must be done by five successful people as per Vedic saying. The king used to get the approval of Sabha or Samiti regarding certain functions and decisions.

• Epic Period

The study of Ramayna indicates that administration was divided into two parts — Pur and Janpud’ or we can say city and village.

Pattan were towns near villages and served as mandi or market for the villagers. Even in Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas- the welfare of the people has been described as the main object of the ruler.

Self government of a village finds ample expressions in Shanti Parva of Mahabharta and Manu Smrities as well as in Kautilya’s Arthshastra. As per Mahabharta, over and above the village, there were units of 10, 20, 100 and 1000 village groups. Gramik was the chief of village.

Dashap- Chief often villages

Vinshya Adhipati- Chief of 20 villages

Sahtgram Adhyaksha- Chief of 100 villages

Shahastra Adhyaksha- Chief of 1000 villages respectively.’   Village Panchayat or elected council had large powers, both executive and judicial.⁹

Land was distributed by this Panchayat which also collected taxes out of the produce and paid the government’s share on behalf of the village.’⁰

The Panchayat based on truth and justice in an idealistic pattern as is supposed to have functioned in ancient times with all the characteristics of Ram Raj has been beautifully described by Shri S.K. Dey, and architect of the scheme of Panchayati Raj, in the following poetic words: “Rama was the ruler servant of Ayodhya. Every village had a similar counterpart ruler servant. Mukhiya or Sarpanch he was called. The sarpanch had the counsellors in the Panch.

The Panch used to be elected in an unanimity. The needs of life were within easy and free access of all. Property had little or no meaning. Nay, property was a liability. There was no room for electioneering. The good man got chosen as the elder statesman. The Panch constituted the Parameshwar. The kind, Sarpanch or the Mukhiya obeyed the dictates of the people. They were prepared to make the highest of sacrifices if the community so demanded.

The kind and his counterpart in the village had no personal p‹alitics. Personal politics comes when the demand is more than the supplies available and few wishes to have ‘something for nothing’. Conditions prevailing during the Ram Raj did not call for these perversions. The sarpanch necessarily grew to be the ruler servant. He had to be persuaded to take the crown of thorns and the burden of honour that went with it. NO competition. No rivalry.

Ancient Period

Kautilya in his Arthshastra advised the king to constitute units of village having 100-500 families.

In Chandergupta Maurya’s regime the policy of decentralization of powers was adopted. In Gupta period gramik was the village head. Neetishastra of Sukracharya mentions village governance.

Medieval Period

During the Sultanate period, the kingdom was administered through vilayat, Amir or Vali. Chandharic for decision on disputes patwari for collection of revenues. Village was the smallest unit. Marathas also constitute local self government.

In Indian history the Panchayat has deep roots. Some experts are of the opinion that, in ancient India Panchayat (local Government) for wide spread, more real and more successful than in the days of British rule of even at present. The Manusmriti, Dharamshastra, Upnishads, Jatakas, Nitishatkam by Bharatrihari   etc. refer to auto local administration. The system was introduced by King Prithu while colonising the Doab between the Ganges and Jamuna. In the Manusmriti and the Shantipurva of the Mahabharta, there are many reference to the existence of gram sanghas or rural committees. In 400

B.C. Kautilya writes in Arthashastra about the rural committees. There is description of moral village administration prevailing in his time. There was a headman of village under whose supervision and control the village administration run smoothly. There were other officials such as accountant who was called Samkhaiya, Anikitsaka (Veterinary doctor, Jamagh Karika (Village courier) Chikitshaka (doctor). State dues and reporting to the kind was the duty of headman.

In Ramayana of Valmimi, we read about the ‘Ganapada’ which was perhaps village republic. The term Panchayat is a compound of two words: Panch and ayat.

The pancham in Sanskrit also means five number is considered to be sacrosanct in Indian mythology.

God created the world out of five elements’ ¹ called ‘Panchbhoot’. It is frequently mentioned that controlling five senses, one can easily achieve the highest aim of life.¹²

In the verse of Guru Nanak Dev ji

Panch Parvan Panch Pardhan  

Panch Pave Darghe Maan

Meaning that elect are the ones approved by Him, Honoured they are among their fellow fold. The villagers considered the panches, five representative of God.

In Sanskrit word ayatnam means a place or abode, an abode of panches

In Maurya period also the villages were basic unit of administration. In this period, villages used to organise work of public utility, and recreation, settlement of disputes. In Gupta period, village committees evolved regular bodies in some parts of India. Settlement of dispute was the main function of Panchayat those days.

In Chola period, there was also well organised Panchayats (local self government) which can be compared with the modern Panchayat system. During those days villages had the economic and administrative freedom.

The functions of village committee were to

• Control of village land;
• Vigil and watch over agricultural land
• Collecting revenue;
• Settling disputes;
• Managing education.

In Mughal period, particularly in the regime of Sher Shah, the villages were governed by their own Panchayats, means the law of the land. He gare due legal sanction to it. The elders were the members of the Panchayat who looked after the interests of the inhabitants of the village who administered justice and inflicted punishments on the defaulters according to the custom traditional.

The chief of the village, who was a semi govemment official who was a coordinator between village panchayat and higher administrative hierarchy. In case of emergency, the village Panchayat were asked to discharge their duties honestly. Akbar inherited an excellent system of Panchayat from Shershah. He accepted the system and made it indispensiable part of administration. Each village, in this period has substantial population

has its own panchayat of the elders headed by a lambardar or headman.

Legal recognition was given to the Panchayati Raj. In its own sphere each Panchayat was autonomous in its own sphere and exercised powers of local taxations, administrative control justice and punishment.

The Mughal system of Panchayat was in operation over centuries but during the period between 1750 to 1850 when the Mughal rule collapsed they supplemented such a system of administration (local) that had its origin in Europe.

Panchayat under Pre Independence

Britishers were not of the idea to develop the country. They never gave preference to Panchayat. They were interested only in local Panchayat’s which were ruled by them for helping them in their business.¹⁴

Under the Government of India Act, 1935 provincial autonomy changed the fate of Panchayats and marked the evolution of Panchayats in India. The British were not concerned with decentralized democracy but only with fashioning an administration that met their colonial objectives. ¹⁵

The British began to run the administration with the help of semi official functionaries like the Zaildar and lamberdar appointed to collect land revenue and for acting as communication between the villagers and the Government. The revolt of 1857 made them realize

the need for creating village Panchayats as institutions of local self- government.’ ⁶

The establishment of British rule in India gave the final death

blow to the ancient village autonomy. “ The village community, which had so far been the basis of Indian economy, was disintegrated, losing both its economic and administrative  functions.    The

destruction of village industries was a powerful blow to these communities. The balance between industry and agriculture was upset, the traditional division of labour was broken up, and numerous stray individuals  could not be easily fitted into any group activity.

The village community was deprived of all control over the land and its produce; what had always been considered as the chief interest and concern of that community now became the private property of the newly created landowner. This led to the break down of the joint life and corporate character of the community, and the cooperative system of services and functions began to disappear gradually.’⁷

With the establishment of British rule in India all the powers and responsibilities were withdrawn from the people of India and concentrated in the hands of Governor General of India and ultimately to the British Parliament. James Bryce, a noted political philosopher says that “There was under Rome and there is in British India no room for popular institutions or popular interference with the acts of rulers from the Viceroy down to a district official.”¹‘ The Britishers had no real interest in the welfare of Indian people.

They believed that the Indians were illiterate and backward in the art of government and so they were unwilling to part with any sort of power and to entrust Indians with any responsibilities of self-government. Whatever little reforms or changes they had to introduce in their highly centralised government was only necessitated by the pressure of public opinion.

The Britishers also believed that the Indians were unfit and incompetent to work democratic institutions, and that the popular and representative institutions were totally alien to India. That was why the British policy of giving Indians Self governing bodies was very slow, halting and gradual.¹⁹

Among the many changes which India has witnesses with the advent of the British rule, many of them making for progress and advancement, and some of them deplorable, the saddest change is the virtual extinction of the old forms of self government and the disappearance of the ancient village communities of which India was the first home among all the countries of the world.²⁰

The real development of villages, in the modem sense, started after the report of the royal Army Sanitary Commission 1863. The Report pointed out the filthy conditions of the villages and the importance of increased attention to sanitation. Accordingly, Village Sanitation Acts were passed in many provinces.²‘

Gandhi’s thoughts on Local Self Government

It will not be out of place here to know the views of Mahatma Gandhi on village Panchayats, since he was the architect of the Indian nation for more than 25 years, before Independence. Lokmanya Tilak, the then uncrowned king of India, passed away on 1^st August, 1920. Mahatma Gandhi thereafter became the undisputed leader of the country and the country passed through three most outstanding upheavals under his leadership that have rarely taken place in any country in the world. The first upheaval that had roused the country from slumber of slavery was Non-co-operation movement in 1921.

The second was the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930-32 and the third and the last was Quit India Movement in 1942-45. He was not satisfied with any reforms till the Government of India was made completely responsible to the people of India. His main aim concentrated on freedom for India from 1920 to 1947 though from time to time. He expressed his ideas regarding village Panchayats. His concept of village Panchayats could not take concrete shape till India got freedom.

One such concept is given below: “ My idea of village Swaraj is that is a complete republic, independent of its neighbours for its vital wants and yet interdependent for many others in which dependence is a necessity. Thus every village’s first concern will be to grow its own food crops and cotton for its cloth. It should have a reserve for its cattle, recreation and play grounds for its adults and children.”

The Gandhian society in its ideal form does not approve of vertical social positions. In an ideal Gandhian system there can be no high or low positions; there will be only social position of equal prestige because in a classless society, where caste hierarchy is not recognised. In such a society the unit of administration will be a Panchayat. Every village will be self sufficient, self sustaining and self administered republic.

The panchayat as envisaged is expected to undertake three types of activities: administrative, municipal and developmental. In administrative matters it is the government of the Vikas Adhikari who takes decisions. Municipal activities are not so profound in Indian villages to warrant any serious attention particularly at the current time.

Usually, there are 8 to 15 members in a Panchayat who are elected from a ward in a village. The Sarpach is elected directly by the entire electorate.

However, a few presidency governments still made some attempts to keep these institutions alive. In 1802 the Government of Madras also attempted to do so by extending statutory recognition to the villages courts. Thus the dawn of the 19^th century, the traditional ‘Village Panchayat’. More or less vanished from the land of its origin. Lord Ripon, in 1882, soughs to revolutionize the basic approach to local self-government.

The work of popularising the ‘Panchayats’ had been undertaking (though unofficially) by the Indian National Congress. In 1920-24 the Congress had started the historic non co- operation movement, one of important planks of which was to boycott the government courts and to organise village Panchayats to settle the disputes through them. The hard work and sustained efforts of Congress workers, who had spread themselves in the villages, resulted into the springing up of innumerable Panchayats in various parts of the country.

In 1935 the Government of India Act was passed. It was the second series to bring about a wholesale change in the administrative structure of the country. The Panchayat Acts were recast. The village Panchayats had a unique position in the Punjab judicial system. The law applied by these panchayats was based on customs, precedents and religion. The justice was quick and simple.

The panchayats were guided by the opinions of elders and decisions were acquired in by all.

After annexation to Punjab, the British consolidated their rule by an organised administrative net work. The institutions of Panchayat was properly utilized by the Britishers for the advantage of all. The district level officials got help from panchayats for deciding civil, criminal and revenue matters. ²²

The Punjab Panchayats Act of 1912 was the first legislative attempt for the revival of Panchayats in the province. The rules and regulations were framed for establishment, jurisdiction, procedure and removal of Panchayats. The Deputy Commissioner was given the powers of appointment, removal, suspension etc. of a member after prescription given by the local government.

The pecuniary limit of jurisdiction of the Panchayat was Rs. 200/-. The Punjab Government ordered the Panchayat jurisdiction in respect of following cases viz. the claims for money due on contracts or for moveable property or the value of such property; when the debt or demand does not exceed rupees 200/-²‘

The procedure was quick and simple in those days there was no need of legal technicalities. Practitioners were not allowed to arbitrate before the Panchayat. ‘ ⁴ The main aim of the Act was speedy justice and disposal of petty cases. The government showed no interest in the development of PRI’s which is evident from the fact that only 16 Panchayats were formed in the province by 1916 out of 36,000 villages.²⁵

By the year 1917 the Panchayat Act became a dead letter, because the measures taken by the Britishers were half hearted.²⁶ In Haryana Panchayats were constituted by the village Panchayat Act, 1921 (Act III of 1922) as amended by Act X of 1922. The provisions of the Act were enlarged from the Act of 1912. The Deputy Commissioner of every district was empowered to control and regulate the Gram Panchayat.

The Panchayat consisted of five members including a sarpanch. No legal practitioner was allowed to plead before a panchayat. Jurisdiction was allowed civil or criminal cases. Deputy Commissioner was empowered to constitute a gram Panchayat in any village or group of villages. Deputy Commissioner was empowered to suspend any member/sarpanch for misconduct, neglect of duty or for other sufficient cause. Any government servant was out of the jurisdiction of the Panchayat. The Panchayat could not try a suit by or against the Govt. or public servant in his official

capacity  or   minor  or   person  of   unsound  mind.  The   Deputy Commissioner had the power to inspect any record of the Panchayat.²⁷ The Act of 1922 was not successful, it failed due to the will

power of Britishers. In the national movement for political freedom. Village Panchayats were central to its ideological framework. According to Gandhi, “My idea of village swaraj is that it is a complete republic independent of its neighbours for its own vital wants and yet interdependence for many other in which dependence is necessity. The rule of village will be conducted by the Panchayat of five persons. These will have the authority and jurisdiction required.

The Panchayat will consist of adult male and female of inhabitants. The Panchayat will be the legislative, judiciary and executive combined to operate for its year of office. ²’ Government of India Act, 1935 was a milestone in the empowerment of panchayats especially in rural area.°⁹ After wards the Punjab Village Panchayat Act of 1939 was passed. The Panchayat was consisted of not less than 3 and not more than 7 members. The term was one year.

One member was elected as Up-Sarpanch/Naib. No legal practitioner was allowed to plead before Panchayat. A Panchayat may impose Rs. 200/- as fine. The Magistrates were required to transfer any case to a panchayat cognizable by it. ³⁰ The code of Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act do not apply on Panchayats.

During the year 1937-38, 1275 Panchayats were formed against 1147 in the previous year in Punjab. Total number of civil cases 13926 and criminal cases were 5395 in 1938. The number of Panchayats in Punjab increased from 1489 in 1939. After partition 414 Panchayats were there in Punjab.

Post Independence

Five Year Plan attempted to overtime the countryside development. Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) Shanthanam Committee (1963). Ashok Mehta Committee (1978) GVK Rao Committee 1985, L.M. Singhvi Committee 1986. 73’^d Constitutional Amendment Act,1992.

Narshimha Rao Government sanctioned the democracy at grass

root level means at village level, local self-government. According to Gandhiji, grater the power of the Panchayat, the better for the people as true democracy. Community Development Programme was started in 1952. Rajasthan was the first state where the local self-government was sanctioned in Nagaur district in October 2,1959 by lighting the lamp ofJ.N.Nehru.

Village Panchayats since Independence

Gandhiji said that realisation of Indian freedom has to begin from bottom. Thus every village has to be a republic or Panchayat. Pandit J.L. Nehru viewed Panchayati Raj as a new device that may help us in making village life prosperous and joyful by our own efforts without looking to cards external assistance. On August 15, 1985 while speaking from Red Fort, New Delhi Sh. Rajiv Gandhi our then Prime Minister, referred to the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi and asserted “we shall strengthen the Panchayati Raj institution to give

them responsibility and to ascertain the most possible participation of common man in the pattern of planning.

Panchayati Raj system is often believed to be the most important political invention of independent India. It is a system of governance, has got ebbs and flows in India polity since independence. Panchayati Raj has been identified as a suitable vibrating and viable unit of development administration. Mahatma Gandhi ardently believed in Gram Swaraj. Dr. Ambedkar was repulsed by it. Sh.Rajiv Gandhi cradled and nursed it. P.V. Narshimha Rao institutionalised it.

Almost five decades after independence on April 24, 1993, the Government of India revolutionalized the concept of decentralisation of power through the 73’^d Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 by making the Panchayat Raj institution are example of decentralization of power. The Panchayat system in India, survives in the Article-40 of the Constitution as Directive Principles of the State Policy. Now Panchayati Raj institutions (PRI’s) have been proclaimed as the vehicles of the socio economic transformation in rural areas.

In cherished dreams of Mahatma Gandhi and other National leader, India could attain Ram Rajya’ by returning to some of the golden traditions of ancient India and reviving the indigenous institutions more suited to the Indian culture. On attaining independence, the establishment of Panchayat Raj was accepted by the nation as a whole. Since then a new era in the history of Panchayat Raj started and the Government has since been trying its best to provide a concerted base to the grassroots level democratic institutions.

In 1952, the first effort to tackle the problem of rural India was launched through Community Development Programme in 55 selected projects which started in Rajasthan. The Panchayats were declared basic administrative units by the conference of State Ministers of Local Self Government held in 1954. It was declared to be the basic planning of development. The Government had realised that to give a concrete shape of democracy, it is essential to make decentralization of power and that must at bottom grass root level. Since then a number of committees have been appointed by the Government to make detailed study about the operation of Panchayat.

In the year 1957, Balwant Rai Mehta Committee was constituted to study the problems and suggest means for implementing the Panchayati Raj on uniform system (pattern) throughout the country. The committee recommended the Gram Panchayat at village level, Panchayat Samiti at Block level and Zila Parishad at district level. The recommendations came into effect on April 1, 1958 and Rajasthan was the first state to adopt it on October 2, 1959 and Andhra Pradesh, Punjab comes next. Later on it was introduced throughout India. Pandit Nehru conferred it indigenous name Panchayati Raj.

Balwant Rai Mehta study team report was warmly welcomed and influenced significant changes in community programmes. The three-tier system was welcomed in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamilnadu etc. In Haryana, three tier system of panchayati raj was working under the two separate Acts, Gram Panchayat Act of 1952 and Punjab Panchayati Samiti Act, 1961. The upper tier Zila Parishad in Haryana was abolished in 1973

by an amendment. Here the last elections to the panchayats were held in June, 1988. In Punjab, before 1959, two legislations, the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952, and the Pepsu Panchayati Raj Act were in force. The Punjab Gram Panchayat (Amendment) Act, of 1959 was extended to the entire state. Three-tier system was introduced under the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952 and Punjab Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad Act, 1961. Upper two tiers Zila Parishad ,and Panchayat Samiti in the state have been superseded since 1979.

Panchayati Raj systems have got universal coverage. All the states and Union Territories have opted for these bodies, if not all the tiers, at least Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis suited to local conditions are existing. The Haryana adhoc Committee on Panchayati Raj (1972) recommended that more powers and funds should be given to panchayat samities and Zilla parishad should be abolished. The Rajasthan High Power Committee (1964) recommended strengthening of the zila parishad in the three-tier system of panchayati raj. It observed that in the present set up of decentralized powers, the panchayat samiti emerges as the strongest tier. The committee after detailed study came to the conclusion that the first tier should be strongest instead of middle tier.

A Committee was appointed in December 1977 during Janta Party Government under the Chairmanship of Ashok Mehta to suggest measures to strengthen the Panchayati Raj institutions. Report was submitted in 1978 suggesting two-tier system of Panchayati Raj with Mandal Panchayat at the basic level and Zile Parishad at District Level.

Other committees were also formed viz. GVK Rao Committee in 1985. L. M. Singhvi Committee in 1990 when the Chief Ministers Conference was held.

The recommendations of Dr.L.M. Singhvi Committee were that (PRIs) Panchayati Raj institution should be constitutionally reorganised, protected, and preserved by the inclusion of new chapter in the Constitution. It also recommended for separate chapter regarding Gram Panchayats to make the identity and integrity reasonable and substantially inviolate. It also recommended reorganisation of villages to make village Panchayats more viable. More financial resources should be given and there should be judicial tribunals at State to adjudicate controversies about election to these legal bodies, their dissolution etc. including other matters relating to their functioning.3’

Shri Rajiv Gandhi Government gave constitutional sanction to Panchayati Raj institutions by introducing 64^t Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha.³‘

The Panchayati Raj institutions were projected³° as three-tiers of administrations after the centre and state. In 1990, during the conference of chief ministers this issue was brought before it. The conference endorsed the proposals consequently, the 74′^h Amendment bill was passed on September 7, 1990. Narsimharao’s Government was successful encasing the amendment. in 1992. It includes strength

to Panchayati Raj institutions at grass root level. According to the 73^rd amendment all the States were required to legislate fresh laws regarding Panchayats. This amendment aimed at providing defacto powers to Panchayati Raj to ensure genuine decentralization right up to the level of village Panchayat.

At present, this system has gained momentum and introduced in every system of India. Panchayat as a unit of decentralization carried out its functions within the framework of Constitution. The institutional strategies have been formulated in the eighth five year plan to strengthen the peoples’ institutions at the district, block and village level so that the people could be the real actors in the national reconstruction. The Panchayats are the vehicles of socio economic transformation in rural India.