2.1. Introduction

o The passage of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 marks a new era in the federal democratic set up of the country. It inserted Part IX in the Constitution of India and accorded Panchayats a Constitutional status as institutions of local self-governance for rural India. It also added Eleventh Schedule to the constitution that contains 29 functional items for Panchayats.

o As a result, 2,32,278 Panchayats at village level; 6,022 Panchayats at intermediate level and 535 Panchayats at district level have been constituted in the country. These Panchayats are being manned by about 29.2 lakh elected representatives of Panchayats at all levels. This is the broadest representative base that exists in any country of the world – developed or under- developed.