The Structure, Membership, and Evolution of Local Governance in India: From Grama Sabha to Zilla Panchayat

Key Concepts in Indian Decentralized Democracy: PRIs and Citizen Engagement

Beyond the Ballot: Exploring Political Participation and the Foundations of Indian Local Self-Government

A Comprehensive Guide to Grama Panchayats and the History of Political Participation in India

Understanding Panchayati Raj Institutions and Political Participation in India

Author : Mohan A K Department of Social Work University of Mysore

1. Grama Sabha

A Grama Sabha is a body consisting of persons registered in the voter’s list of the Grama Panchayat. It is obligatory on the part of the Grama Panchayat to convene a Grama Sabha meeting at least once in six months. All the adults who are in the voter’s list of the village are members of the Grama Sabha (Karnataka Panchayati Raj Act, 1993).

2. Ward Sabha

A ward sabha is a body consisting of persons registered in the voters’ lists of each Gram Panchayat constituency (Ibid. 1993).

3. Village

A village specified by the Governor through public notification for the purpose of this Act includes a group of villages so specified (Ibid. 1993).

4. Grama Panchayat

A Gram Panchayat is an institution (by whatever name it is being called) of self-government constituted under Article 243B, for the rural areas. According to the Act, a Gram Panchayat is constituted for a population between 3000 and 5000. The area covered by a Gram Panchayat includes a group of villages. There will be one member for every 400 persons. The adyaksha and upadyaksha (president and vice president) are elected from among the elected members (Ibid. 1993).

5. Taluk Panchayat

The Taluk Panchayat established under this Act states that for each taluk, there shall be a taluk Panchayat consisting of local representatives from the state legislature and parliament apart from one-fifth of the Grama Panchayat presidents in the taluk chosen by lots every year (in rotation). Members are directly elected from the separate territorial constituencies at the rate of one member for every 10000 population (Ibid. 1993).

6. Zilla Panchayat

Zilla Panchayat means Zilla Panchayat established under this Act. Each district will have a Zilla Panchayat consisting of members of parliament and the legislature from within the district, the presidents of taluk Panchayats in the district and elected members in accordance with the scale of one member for 40,000 of the population. The elected members shall choose two members from amongst themselves to the post of president and vice president (Ibid. 1993).

7. Section 11 – Qualification for membership

Every person whose name is in the list of voters of any Grama Panchayat constituency shall, unless otherwise disqualified under this Act or under any other law for the time being in force, be qualified to be elected as a member of the Grama Panchayat:

Provided that in the case of seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes or Schedule Tribes or Backward Classes and women, no person who is not a member of any of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes or Backward Classes or is not a woman; as the case may be, shall be qualified to be elected to such seat (Ibid, 1993).

8. Section 12 – Disqualification for members

A person shall be disqualified for being chosen and for being a member of a Grama Panchayat,

1. If he is so disqualified by or under any law for the time being in force for the purposes of the elections to the State Legislatures:Provided that no person shall be disqualified on the ground that he is less than twenty five years of age, if he has attained the age of twenty-one year.
2. If he has been sentenced by a criminal court to imprisonment for a term exceeding three months in respect of an offence under The Karnataka Excise Act, 1965 (Karnataka Act 21 of 1966), such sentence not having been subsequently reversed or squashed or the offence pardoned; or
3. If an order has been passed against him under Section 117 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974), in proceedings instituted under Section 110 of the Code, such order not having been subsequently reversed or squashed; or
4. If he has been dismissed from service under any local authority; or
5. If, having been a legal or medical practitioner or a chartered accountant he has been disenrolled or suspended by order of a competent authority, the disqualification in the latter case being operative during the period of such suspension; or
6. If he has been removed from membership of any local authority; or
7. If he holds any office of profit under any local or other authority subject to the control of the Central Government, the State Government or the Government of any other State, other than such offices as are declared by rules made under this Act not to disqualify the holder.

9. Political Participation

Political participation is crucial in the effective functioning of a democratic system. The purpose of democracy serves only when people actively participate in the political affairs of the state and influence the policy of the government through exercising franchise, contesting election, by becoming the people’s representative, holding public offices, criticizing the policies of the government which are against the interest of the public, giving petition and so on. Kumar (2009) in his article on ‘Patterns of political participation: trends and perspective’ mentioned that before turning to the issue of participation, it is better to look at the possible reasons why people do not vote and who the non-voters are. It is highlighted in the study that 60% of the voters have been exercising their franchise in different elections, and about 40% do not vote. Many attribute the non-voting to apathy and disinterest in politics. Non-voting was also because of faulty electoral rolls and the inability of some to produce proof of their identity, which is now mandatory for voting. Though there is no caste or community pattern to this, the lack of identity cards was more among rural than urban voters. Apathy or disinterest in the election was more among voters in metropolitan cities than those living in small towns and villages. Democratic decentralisation is a political ideal and local government is its institutional form of power in a way that the local affairs of the people are managed by means of their positive participation. Known by the popular name of democratic decentralisation, it implies extension of democracy at the grassroots level in view of the act that people’s participation signifies the constitution of a democratic government not merely at the top but also at the foundation level of the political system. It signifies marked devolution of power from the higher to the lower levels in a way that the units of local government exercise their power with the participation of people of that area with occasional control and supervision of the provincial and central governments (Subhash, 2008).

Political participation provides the citizens with “channels of direct access to the sources of authority.” Therefore, healthy, free and fair political participation are regarded as the life-belt of genuine representative government, serving important functions for both the citizens and the political system. It also relates to shaping and reshaping of power, authority or influence (Prasad, 2007). Rosenstone and Hansen (1993) similarly, in their more recent work on political participation in America offer what they describe as an “expansive definition”: “Political participation is action directed explicitly toward influencing the distribution of social goods and values.” According to the National Perspective Plan for Women 1988-2000 (N.P.P), a document of the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of India, “Political participation includes an involvement in any form or activity that affects or seeks to affect, these power relationships.” Political participation is an “activity that is intended to or has the consequence of affecting, either directly or indirectly, government action” (Verba et al., 1985:9). Political participation is not only related to electoral activities but is also about problem solving involving the members of the community in resolving the mass problems affecting the community. People’s representatives should develop a very good rapport with the officials and community people to work towards the empowerment of the community.

10. Evolution of Panchayat Raj Institutions

India has a great history of the Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) beginning from the Vedic period. The Panchas of the village are considered as “Pancha Parameswara” that is representatives of the god. The Panchas played a crucial role in all matters related to the administration and legislature of the village. Various authors have used different stages to trace the history and functioning of the Panchayat Raj Institutions. Maheshwari (1963) has classified the history of Panchayat Raj System in to six periods: Ancient India; Medieval India; Early British Period-1882-1919; Later British Period- 1919-1947; Post-Independence era-1947-59; Era of the beginning of the Panchayat Raj on October 2, 1959. The history of Panchayat Raj in India 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. British Period
6. Post-independence period (Joshi and Narwani, 2011).

The village panchayats is as old as India’s history, and they were responsible for finding solutions to village disputes. The members of the Panchayats were highly respected by the people and it has its unique administration pattern.