Polity & Governance
Local Government
GS Paper II
Local Government — Quick Revision
One-page UPSC revision of Panchayati Raj and municipalities: 73rd and 74th Amendments, key articles, schedules, committees, PESA 1996 and high-yield numbers.
SyllabusGS II · Devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein
A last-week sheet for local government. Most Prelims questions here turn on one number or one “may vs shall”.
Part IX — The Panchayats
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| 243 | Definitions |
| 243A | Gram Sabha |
| 243B | Three-tier panchayats (intermediate tier optional below 20 lakh population) |
| 243C | Composition; chairpersons |
| 243D | Reservation — SC/ST, women (not less than one-third), backward classes (optional) |
| 243E | Five-year term; elections within six months of dissolution |
| 243F | Disqualifications; minimum age 21 |
| 243G | Powers and functions (Eleventh Schedule) |
| 243H | Taxes and funds |
| 243-I | State Finance Commission |
| 243J | Audit of accounts |
| 243K | State Election Commission |
| 243M | Exempted areas (Scheduled and tribal areas; Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram) |
| 243O | Bar on interference by courts in electoral matters |
Part IXA — The Municipalities
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| 243Q | Nagar panchayat, municipal council, municipal corporation |
| 243R | Composition (nominated experts without voting rights) |
| 243S | Wards Committees — population 3 lakh or more |
| 243T | Reservation |
| 243U | Five-year term |
| 243W | Powers and functions (Twelfth Schedule) |
| 243Y | Finance Commission (same SFC as Article 243-I) |
| 243ZA | State Election Commission |
| 243ZD | District Planning Committee |
| 243ZE | Metropolitan Planning Committee — population 10 lakh or more |
Committees and Milestones
| Year | Event | Remember for |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Balwant Rai Mehta Committee | Three-tier democratic decentralisation |
| 1959 | Nagaur, Rajasthan (2 October) | First Panchayati Raj inauguration |
| 1977–78 | Ashok Mehta Committee | Two-tier system; party participation |
| 1985 | G.V.K. Rao Committee | District as planning unit |
| 1986 | L.M. Singhvi Committee | Constitutional status |
| 1993 | 24 April / 1 June | 73rd / 74th Amendments in force |
| 1996 | PESA | Panchayats in Fifth Schedule areas |
High-Yield Numbers
Numbers UPSC recycles
- 29 subjects — Eleventh Schedule; 18 subjects — Twelfth Schedule.
- 21 years — minimum age to contest.
- One-third — minimum reservation for women.
- 20 lakh — population at or below which a State may skip the intermediate tier.
- 3 lakh — population for Wards Committees.
- 10 lakh — metropolitan area threshold.
- Six months — deadline for elections after premature dissolution.
- One-half — minimum ST share of seats in PESA areas.
Who Does What
| Function | Authority |
|---|---|
| Appoints State Election Commissioner | Governor |
| Removes State Election Commissioner | Like a High Court judge |
| Constitutes State Finance Commission | Governor, every five years |
| Recommends measures to augment State funds for local bodies | Union Finance Commission (Article 280(3)(bb), (c)) |
| Classifies an area as a nagar panchayat / council / corporation | Governor (Article 243Q) |
| Runs Cantonment Boards | Ministry of Defence (Cantonments Act, 2006) |
Traps
- Devolution of the 29 subjects is at the State’s discretion (“may”), not automatic.
- Local elections are run by State Election Commissions, not the Election Commission of India.
- PESA covers Fifth Schedule areas, not Sixth Schedule areas.
- Backward-class reservation is optional, but if given must meet the triple test (Gawali, 2021).
Related Topics
- Panchayats and Municipalities — main note
- Local Government — practice questions
- Local Government — overview
- All quick revision sheets
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