Following the failure of the Community Development Programme (1952) and the National Extension Service (1953) due to lack of public participation, the government appointed several committees to recommend local governance structures:

• Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957): Recommended the establishment of a **Three-Tier Panchayati Raj System** under "Democratic Decentralization". First inaugurated in **Nagaur district, Rajasthan** on October 2, 1959 by PM Jawaharlal Nehru, followed by Andhra Pradesh.
• Ashok Mehta Committee (1977): Appointed by the Janata government. Recommended replacing the three-tier system with a **Two-Tier System** consisting of Zilla Parishad at the district level and Mandal Panchayat at the intermediate level.
• G.V.K. Rao Committee (1985): Noted that development administration had become bureaucratic, calling it "grass without roots".
• L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986): Recommended that Panchayati Raj Institutions should be **constitutionally recognized and protected**. It also advocated for the creation of Nyaya Panchayats.

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions. It added Part IX (Articles 243 to 243O) and the 11th Schedule (containing 29 functional items).

Visualizing the three levels of rural local self-governance: Gram Panchayat (Village), Panchayat Samiti (Block), and Zilla Parishad (District).

Salient Features

• Gram Sabha: The foundation of the system. It is a village assembly consisting of all registered voters in the area of the panchayat.
• Three-Tier System: Consists of Gram Panchayat (village level, directly elected), Panchayat Samiti (block level, indirectly elected), and Zilla Parishad (district level, indirectly elected). States with a population under 20 lakhs may choose not to constitute the intermediate block tier.
• Reservation of Seats (Article 243D): Seats are reserved for SCs and STs in proportion to their population. **Not less than one-third (1/3rd) of the total seats must be reserved for women.**
• Qualifications (Article 243F): The minimum age to contest elections to a Panchayat is 21 years (unlike 25 years for the Lok Sabha).
• Election (Article 243K): Conducted by the **State Election Commission**, which is appointed by the Governor. The term of a Panchayat is 5 years. If dissolved earlier, fresh elections must be held within **6 months**.
• State Finance Commission (Article 243I): Appointed by the Governor every 5 years to review the financial position of the Panchayats and recommend tax/grant distribution.

The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 gave constitutional status to urban local bodies. It added Part IX-A (Articles 243P to 243ZG) and the 12th Schedule (containing 18 functional items).

It mandates three types of urban local bodies:

• Nagar Panchayat: For a transitional area (an area in transition from rural to urban).
• Municipal Council (Nagar Palika): For a smaller urban area.
• Municipal Corporation (Mahanagar Palika): For a larger urban area (e.g., Delhi, Mumbai). The political head is the **Mayor**, and the administrative head is the Municipal Commissioner.