Which Amendment established Urban Local Bodies?

The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 gave constitutional status to Urban Local Bodies (municipalities). It added Part IXA (Articles 243P–243ZG) and the 12th Schedule (18 functions) to the Constitution.

What is the three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj?

The three tiers are: (1) Gram Panchayat at village level, (2) Panchayat Samiti / Panchayat Union at block/taluk level, (3) Zila Parishad / District Panchayat at district level. This structure was recommended by the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957).

Who recommended the current three-tier Panchayati Raj system?

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) first recommended the three-tier structure. The L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986) recommended giving constitutional status to Panchayati Raj, which led to the 73rd Amendment. The Ashok Mehta Committee (1978) recommended a two-tier structure.

What reservation does the 73rd Amendment provide?

The 73rd Amendment mandates reservation of not less than one-third of seats (and one-third of chairperson positions) for women in Panchayati Raj institutions. Some states (like Tamil Nadu) have increased this to 50%. SC/ST reservations are also mandatory in proportion to their population.

Panchayati Raj and Local Bodies — TNPSC Group 4 Polity Notes

Overview

Local self-government is the backbone of Indian democracy. The 73rd Amendment (Panchayati Raj) and 74th Amendment (Urban Local Bodies) gave constitutional status to local governance for the first time in 1992–93. For TNPSC Group 4 candidates, this is a high-importance topic — Tamil Nadu's local body structure is frequently tested.

Panchayati Raj — 73rd Amendment (1992)

Key Facts

Feature	Detail
Amendment	73rd Constitutional Amendment, 1992
Operative from	24 April 1993 (Panchayati Raj Day)
Articles added	Part IX, Articles 243 to 243-O
Schedule added	11th Schedule (29 functions transferred to Panchayats)

Three-Tier Structure

Tier	Level	Name (varies by state)
Tier 1	Village	Gram Panchayat
Tier 2	Block / Taluk	Panchayat Samiti / Panchayat Union
Tier 3	District	Zila Parishad / District Panchayat

States with population below 20 lakh may have only two tiers.

Key Provisions of 73rd Amendment

Gram Sabha: The foundation of Panchayati Raj — a body of registered voters in a Gram Panchayat area
Reservation: Minimum 1/3 seats reserved for women (chairpersons also); SC/ST reservation proportional to population
State Election Commission: Each state must have an SEC to conduct Panchayat elections (Article 243K)
State Finance Commission: Each state must constitute a Finance Commission every 5 years to devolve funds
Term: 5 years; fresh elections before expiry
Disqualification: Persons with two or more children disqualified in some states

Committees Related to Panchayati Raj

Committee	Year	Key Recommendation
Balwant Rai Mehta	1957	Three-tier structure; democratic decentralization
Ashok Mehta	1978	Two-tier; mandatory resources
G.V.K. Rao	1985	Strengthen Panchayati Raj; integrate development programmes
L.M. Singhvi	1986	Constitutional status to Panchayati Raj (this led to 73rd Amendment)

11th Schedule — 29 Functions Devolved to Panchayats (selected)

Agriculture, Land improvement, Minor irrigation, Animal husbandry, Fisheries, Social forestry, Small-scale industries, Khadi and village industries, Rural housing, Drinking water, Roads, Rural electrification, Non-conventional energy, Poverty alleviation, Primary and secondary education, Adult and vocational education, Libraries, Cultural activities, Markets and fairs, Health and sanitation, Family welfare, Women and child development, Social welfare, Maintenance of community assets

Urban Local Bodies — 74th Amendment (1992)

Feature	Detail
Amendment	74th Constitutional Amendment, 1992
Operative from	1 June 1993
Articles added	Part IXA, Articles 243P to 243ZG
Schedule added	12th Schedule (18 functions)

Types of Urban Local Bodies

Type	Population	Example
Nagar Panchayat	Transitional area (village→town)	Small urban areas
Municipal Council / Town Panchayat	Smaller urban area	Town Panchayats in TN
Municipal Corporation	Large urban area	Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai

Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies

Body	Governs
Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC)	Chennai city
Municipal Corporations	Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, Tirunelveli, Vellore, Tiruppur, Thoothukudi, Erode, Thanjavur, Dindigul, Hosur
Municipalities	Medium-sized towns
Town Panchayats	Small urban areas

Greater Chennai Corporation — established 1688; one of the oldest civic bodies in India.

12th Schedule — 18 Functions Devolved to Urban Bodies (selected)

Urban planning, Regulation of land use, Roads and bridges, Water supply, Public health, Sanitation, Fire services, Urban forestry, Slum improvement, Urban poverty alleviation, Provision of urban amenities (parks, playgrounds, markets), Cultural/educational/aesthetic aspects of city, Burial grounds, Regulation of slaughterhouses, Vital statistics (births, deaths), Public amenities (street lighting), Regulation of tanneries and factories, Urban planning including master plans

Tamil Nadu Panchayat System

Tamil Nadu has a well-developed three-tier Panchayati Raj system:

Tier	Name	Number
Village level	Gram Panchayat (Village Panchayat)	~12,618
Block level	Panchayat Union	385
District level	District Panchayat	37

Tamil Nadu District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) — coordinates rural development at district level.

Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 governs the Panchayati Raj system in Tamil Nadu, implementing the 73rd Amendment.

Important for Exam - 73rd Amendment 1992 = Panchayati Raj; Part IX; 11th Schedule (29 functions) - 74th Amendment 1992 = Urban Local Bodies; Part IXA; 12th Schedule (18 functions) - Three tiers: Gram Panchayat → Panchayat Union → District Panchayat - Balwant Rai Mehta (1957) = recommended three-tier system - L.M. Singhvi (1986) = recommended constitutional status - 1/3 seats reserved for women (mandatory in 73rd Amendment) - Panchayati Raj Day = 24 April - Tamil Nadu: ~12,618 Village Panchayats, 385 Panchayat Unions, 37 District Panchayats

Previous Year TNPSC Questions

Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992) deals with:

Which Committee recommended the three-tier Panchayati Raj structure?

National Panchayati Raj Day is observed on:

How many functions are listed in the 11th Schedule (devolved to Panchayats)?

The 74th Amendment deals with:

How many seats are reserved for women in Panchayati Raj institutions under the 73rd Amendment?

Frequently Asked Questions

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions. It added Part IX (Articles 243–243O) and the 11th Schedule (29 functions) to the Constitution. It came into force on 24 April 1993 — observed as Panchayati Raj Day.