Historical Overview of Gram Panchayat in Rural India

The institution of the Panchayat has been an integral part of Indian villages for centuries. Its evolution can be traced from ancient self-governing units to the constitutionally mandated bodies of today.

1. Ancient Period

The village was considered the basic unit of administration since Vedic times.

• Vedic Era: Ancient Sanskrit scriptures mention ‘Panchayatan,’ a group of five persons, including a spiritual leader. The Rigveda mentions local self-units called ‘Sabha’, ‘Samiti’, and ‘Vidatha’, which were democratic bodies at the local level.
• Epic Era:
  • In the Ramayana, administration was divided into ‘Pur’ (City) and ‘Janpad’ (Village).
  • The Mahabharata (Shanti Parva) mentions the ‘Gramik’ as the chief official of the village. Above the village were units of 10, 20, 100, and 1,000 village groups headed by officials like ‘Dashap’ and ‘Shat Gram Pati’.
• Mauryan and Gupta Periods:
  • Kautilya’s Arthashastra describes village administration where the headman (Adhyaksha) managed village affairs.
  • The village headman was assisted by a Council of Elders.
  • During the Gupta period, the district official was known as ‘Vishyapati’ and the village headman as ‘Grampati’.
• Chola Period: Inscriptions from the Chola dynasty (900–1300 AD) indicate a highly organized system where village assemblies (Mahasabha) held executive and judicial powers.

2. Medieval Period

During the Sultanate and Mughal periods, the village remained the primary unit of administration, though feudalism began to erode local autonomy.

• Administration: Three important officials governed the village:
  1. Mukkaddam: For administration.
  2. Patwari: For revenue collection.
  3. Choudhrie: For settling disputes with the help of the Panch.
• Impact of Mughal Rule: While the Mughals interfered little with ancient customs, the caste system and feudalistic governance gradually weakened rural self-government.

3. British Period

The British regime initially caused the decline of village panchayats, destroying their autonomy. However, administrative necessities led to the reintroduction of local self-government in a new form.

• Mayo’s Resolution (1870): Lord Mayo introduced the concept of elected representatives to improve administrative efficiency.
• Lord Ripon’s Resolution (1882): Known as the “Magna Carta” of local democracy in India, this resolution provided a democratic framework for local bodies. Lord Ripon is considered the father of local self-government in India.
• Royal Commission on Decentralization (1907): Chaired by C.E.H. Hobhouse, this commission recognized the importance of panchayats at the village level.
• Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919): Local government was transferred to the domain of the provinces, leading to the passing of Panchayat Acts in several provinces by 1925.
• Government of India Act (1935): This Act further democratized local institutions, though the outbreak of World War II stalled progress.

4. Post-Independence Period (1947–1992)

Following independence, the debate on the role of Panchayats continued. While Mahatma Gandhi envisioned “Gram Swaraj” (village self-rule), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was skeptical of the casteism and localism in villages.

• Constitutional Provision: Article 40 was included in the Directive Principles of State Policy, directing the State to organize village panchayats and endow them with powers for self-government.
• Community Development Programme (1952): Launched to promote rural development, it failed largely due to a lack of people’s participation.

Key Committees:

1. Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957): Recommended “democratic decentralization” (Panchayati Raj) and a three-tier structure (Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, Zila Parishad). Rajasthan was the first state to implement this on October 2, 1959.
2. Ashok Mehta Committee (1977): Recommended a two-tier system (Zila Parishad and Mandal Panchayat) to revive the declining system.
3. G.V.K. Rao Committee (1985): Recommended making the district the basic unit of planning.
4. L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986): Recommended constitutional status for Panchayats to ensure their sanctity and regularity.

5. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act (1992)

To address the inherent weaknesses of the system, such as irregular elections and lack of financial resources, Parliament passed the 73rd Amendment Act in December 1992, which came into force on April 24, 1993.

• Constitutional Status: Added Part IX (“The Panchayats”) and the Eleventh Schedule (containing 29 functional items) to the Constitution.
• Gram Sabha: Established the Gram Sabha (village assembly of registered voters) as the foundation of the system.
• Structure: Mandated a uniform three-tier system (Village, Intermediate, and District levels) for states with a population over 20 lakhs.
• Elections and Tenure: Introduced direct elections for members at all levels and a fixed tenure of 5 years.
• Reservation: Mandated reservation for SCs/STs proportional to their population and at least one-third of seats and chairperson positions for women.
• Institutions: Provided for the establishment of State Election Commissions and State Finance Commissions.

Extension to Tribal Areas: The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), was enacted to extend these provisions to Fifth Schedule areas, safeguarding tribal customs and traditions.