The national framework of local government on one page. For explanations, go back to the [chapter](/polity/local-government-india/); for how Chhattisgarh applies it, see the [Chhattisgarh quick revision](/chhattisgarh/local-government/quick-revision/).

{{< callout type="tip" title="How to use this sheet" >}}
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. **Bold** lines are the facts examiners return to most often.
{{< /callout >}}

## Timeline / Key Facts

### Timeline

| Year | Event |
|------|-------|
| 1687–88 | Madras Municipal Corporation, the first in India |
| 1870 | Lord Mayo's Resolution: financial decentralisation |
| **1882** | **Lord Ripon's Resolution**: "Magna Carta" of local self-government |
| 1907–09 | Royal Commission on Decentralisation (Hobhouse) |
| 1919 | Local self-government a **transferred** subject (dyarchy) |
| 1950 | **Article 40** (DPSP): organise village panchayats |
| 2 Oct 1952 | Community Development Programme |
| **1957** | **Balwant Rai Mehta Committee**: three tiers, "democratic decentralisation" |
| **2 Oct 1959** | **Nagaur, Rajasthan**: first Panchayati Raj |
| **1977–78** | **Ashok Mehta Committee**: two tiers, 132 recommendations |
| 1985 | **G.V.K. Rao**: "grass without roots" |
| 1986 | **L.M. Singhvi**: constitutional recognition |
| 1988 | Thungon and Gadgil committees |
| **1989** | **64th Amendment Bill** passed Lok Sabha, **defeated in Rajya Sabha** |
| Dec 1992 | 73rd and 74th Amendments passed |
| **24 Apr 1993** | **73rd in force** (National Panchayati Raj Day) |
| **1 Jun 1993** | **74th in force** |
| 1994–95 | Bhuria Committee |
| **24 Dec 1996** | **PESA Act** |
| May 2004 | Ministry of Panchayati Raj |
| 2011 | Part IXB (co-operatives), 97th Amendment — not local government |

### Committees: who said what

| Committee | Signature recommendation |
|-----------|--------------------------|
| Balwant Rai Mehta (1957) | **3 tiers**; Panchayat Samiti executive; Collector chairs Zila Parishad |
| Ashok Mehta (1977–78) | **2 tiers** (Zila Parishad + Mandal Panchayat); parties; compulsory taxation; Nyaya Panchayats |
| G.V.K. Rao (1985) | "Grass without roots"; district as planning unit |
| L.M. Singhvi (1986) | Constitutional status; Nyaya Panchayats |
| Thungon (1988) | Constitutional recognition; 3 tiers; Collector as Zila Parishad CEO |
| Gadgil (1988) | Constitutional status; SFC and SEC; template for 1989 Bill |
| Bhuria (1994–95) | Extend panchayats to Scheduled Areas (PESA) |

### Part IX (Panchayats)

| Article | Content |
|---------|---------|
| 243A | **Gram Sabha** |
| 243B | **Three tiers**; intermediate optional if population ≤ **20 lakh** |
| 243C | Members direct; intermediate and district chairs **indirect** |
| **243D** | SC/ST by population; women **≥ 1/3**; BC **optional** |
| 243E | **5 years**; poll within **6 months** of dissolution |
| 243F | Minimum age **21** |
| 243G | Powers; **Eleventh Schedule (29)** |
| 243H | Taxes and grants |
| **243I** | **State Finance Commission** (Governor; every 5 years) |
| 243J | Audit |
| **243K** | **State Election Commission** (Governor appoints; removal like HC judge) |
| 243L | UTs |
| **243M** | Exempt: Scheduled/tribal areas, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur hills, Darjeeling |
| 243N | Existing laws: max 1 year |
| 243O | Courts barred; election petition only |

### Part IXA (Municipalities)

| Article | Content |
|---------|---------|
| 243P | Metropolitan area: **10 lakh+** |
| **243Q** | Nagar Panchayat (transitional) / Municipal Council (smaller) / Municipal Corporation (larger); Governor decides; industrial township proviso |
| 243R | Ward-wise direct election; chairperson's mode left to state |
| **243S** | **Wards Committees**: population **3 lakh+** |
| 243T | Reservation (same pattern as 243D) |
| 243U / 243V | 5 years / age 21 |
| 243W | Powers; **Twelfth Schedule (18)** |
| 243X | Taxes and grants |
| 243Y / 243ZA | SFC / SEC (same bodies as 243I / 243K) |
| 243ZC | Exempt: Scheduled and tribal areas |
| **243ZD** | **DPC**: ≥ **4/5** elected |
| **243ZE** | **MPC**: ≥ **2/3** elected |
| 243ZF / 243ZG | Existing laws 1 year / courts barred |

### Urban bodies and data

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Eight types | Municipal Corporation, Municipality, Notified Area Committee (all nominated), Town Area Committee, Cantonment Board (Defence; Act of 2006), Township, Port Trust, Special Purpose Agency |
| Census town | Pop ≥ 5,000; density ≥ 400/sq km; ≥ 75% male main workers non-farm; no ULB |
| Census 2011 | 31.16% urban; 4,041 statutory towns |

### PESA

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Basis | Art 243M(4)(b); Fifth Schedule (Art 244(1)) |
| States | **10**: AP, CG, Gujarat, HP, Jharkhand, MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana |
| Reservation | STs **≥ 1/2** seats; **all chairpersons** STs; nominate up to 1/10 |
| Gram Sabha | Approves plans, identifies beneficiaries, utilisation certificates; **consulted** on land acquisition; recommendation for **minor** minerals; owns **minor forest produce**; controls land alienation, money-lending, intoxicants, village markets |
| Rules (early 2026) | 9 of 10 states; **Jharkhand Jan 2026**; **Odisha pending** |
| Sixth Schedule | AMTM; 10 Autonomous District Councils |

### Money and numbers (dated)

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| 15th FC (2021–26) | ₹4,36,361 crore to local bodies (incl. ₹70,051 crore health grants) |
| **16th FC (2026–31)** | About **₹7.91 lakh crore**: ~₹4.35 lakh crore rural, ~₹3.56 lakh crore urban |
| Scale (2025) | ~2.6 lakh panchayats; 30 lakh+ elected representatives; nearly half women |
| 50% women by state law | 21 states + 2 UTs (MoPR, 2023–25) |

### Cases

| Case | Point |
|------|-------|
| Kishansing Tomar (2006) | Polls before term ends; independent SEC |
| K. Krishna Murthy (2010) | BC reservation upheld; 50% vertical ceiling |
| Rajbala (2015) | Educational qualification for panchayat candidates upheld |
| Vikas Kishanrao Gawali (2021) | **Triple test** for OBC reservation |
| Samatha (1997) | Tribal land to private miners void |
| Niyamgiri (2013) | Gram Sabhas decide (FRA) |

## Don't Confuse

| This | vs | That |
|------|----|------|
| **243I** — State Finance Commission | vs | **243K** — State Election Commission |
| **Eleventh Schedule** — 29, panchayats | vs | **Twelfth Schedule** — 18, municipalities |
| **Balwant Rai Mehta** — 3 tiers, 1957 | vs | **Ashok Mehta** — 2 tiers, 1977–78 |
| **DPC** (243ZD) — 4/5 elected | vs | **MPC** (243ZE) — 2/3 elected |
| **Wards Committees** — 3 lakh | vs | **Metropolitan area** — 10 lakh |
| **Fifth Schedule** — 10 states, PESA | vs | **Sixth Schedule** — AMTM, ADCs |
| **Part IX** — panchayats (73rd) | vs | **Part IXB** — co-operatives (97th) |
| **Lord Mayo** (1870) — finance | vs | **Lord Ripon** (1882) — local self-government |
| **PESA** — consulted on land acquisition | vs | **LARR 2013** — prior consent of Gram Sabha in Scheduled Areas |

{{< callout type="warning" title="Favourite MCQ traps" >}}
- **50% women** and **OBC reservation** in local bodies come from **state law**, not the Constitution (which mandates only one-third for women).
- The **DPC** is in the **74th** Amendment, though it covers rural areas.
- The **mayor's** mode of election is a **state** choice (Art 243R).
- **PESA** is an ordinary Act, covers only **Fifth Schedule** areas and only **minor** minerals.
- The **64th** Bill failed in the **Rajya Sabha**, not the Lok Sabha.
{{< /callout >}}

---
Source: https://cgpscnotes.in/polity/local-government-india/quick-revision/

Polity Local Government: 73rd and 74th Amendments

Local Government: 73rd and 74th Amendments — Quick Revision

One-page CGPSC quick revision for local government in India: committees, Parts IX and IXA, Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules, urban bodies and PESA.

5 min read Updated Oct 2026 #quick revision#cgpsc#local government

The national framework of local government on one page. For explanations, go back to the chapter; for how Chhattisgarh applies it, see the Chhattisgarh quick revision.

How to use this sheet

Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.

Timeline / Key Facts

Timeline

Year	Event
1687–88	Madras Municipal Corporation, the first in India
1870	Lord Mayo’s Resolution: financial decentralisation
1882	Lord Ripon’s Resolution: “Magna Carta” of local self-government
1907–09	Royal Commission on Decentralisation (Hobhouse)
1919	Local self-government a transferred subject (dyarchy)
1950	Article 40 (DPSP): organise village panchayats
2 Oct 1952	Community Development Programme
1957	Balwant Rai Mehta Committee: three tiers, “democratic decentralisation”
2 Oct 1959	Nagaur, Rajasthan: first Panchayati Raj
1977–78	Ashok Mehta Committee: two tiers, 132 recommendations
1985	G.V.K. Rao: “grass without roots”
1986	L.M. Singhvi: constitutional recognition
1988	Thungon and Gadgil committees
1989	64th Amendment Bill passed Lok Sabha, defeated in Rajya Sabha
Dec 1992	73rd and 74th Amendments passed
24 Apr 1993	73rd in force (National Panchayati Raj Day)
1 Jun 1993	74th in force
1994–95	Bhuria Committee
24 Dec 1996	PESA Act
May 2004	Ministry of Panchayati Raj
2011	Part IXB (co-operatives), 97th Amendment — not local government

Committees: who said what

Committee	Signature recommendation
Balwant Rai Mehta (1957)	3 tiers; Panchayat Samiti executive; Collector chairs Zila Parishad
Ashok Mehta (1977–78)	2 tiers (Zila Parishad + Mandal Panchayat); parties; compulsory taxation; Nyaya Panchayats
G.V.K. Rao (1985)	“Grass without roots”; district as planning unit
L.M. Singhvi (1986)	Constitutional status; Nyaya Panchayats
Thungon (1988)	Constitutional recognition; 3 tiers; Collector as Zila Parishad CEO
Gadgil (1988)	Constitutional status; SFC and SEC; template for 1989 Bill
Bhuria (1994–95)	Extend panchayats to Scheduled Areas (PESA)

Part IX (Panchayats)

Article	Content
243A	Gram Sabha
243B	Three tiers; intermediate optional if population ≤ 20 lakh
243C	Members direct; intermediate and district chairs indirect
243D	SC/ST by population; women ≥ 1/3; BC optional
243E	5 years; poll within 6 months of dissolution
243F	Minimum age 21
243G	Powers; Eleventh Schedule (29)
243H	Taxes and grants
243I	State Finance Commission (Governor; every 5 years)
243J	Audit
243K	State Election Commission (Governor appoints; removal like HC judge)
243L	UTs
243M	Exempt: Scheduled/tribal areas, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur hills, Darjeeling
243N	Existing laws: max 1 year
243O	Courts barred; election petition only

Part IXA (Municipalities)

Article	Content
243P	Metropolitan area: 10 lakh+
243Q	Nagar Panchayat (transitional) / Municipal Council (smaller) / Municipal Corporation (larger); Governor decides; industrial township proviso
243R	Ward-wise direct election; chairperson’s mode left to state
243S	Wards Committees: population 3 lakh+
243T	Reservation (same pattern as 243D)
243U / 243V	5 years / age 21
243W	Powers; Twelfth Schedule (18)
243X	Taxes and grants
243Y / 243ZA	SFC / SEC (same bodies as 243I / 243K)
243ZC	Exempt: Scheduled and tribal areas
243ZD	DPC: ≥ 4/5 elected
243ZE	MPC: ≥ 2/3 elected
243ZF / 243ZG	Existing laws 1 year / courts barred

Urban bodies and data

Fact	Detail
Eight types	Municipal Corporation, Municipality, Notified Area Committee (all nominated), Town Area Committee, Cantonment Board (Defence; Act of 2006), Township, Port Trust, Special Purpose Agency
Census town	Pop ≥ 5,000; density ≥ 400/sq km; ≥ 75% male main workers non-farm; no ULB
Census 2011	31.16% urban; 4,041 statutory towns

PESA

Fact	Detail
Basis	Art 243M(4)(b); Fifth Schedule (Art 244(1))
States	10: AP, CG, Gujarat, HP, Jharkhand, MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana
Reservation	STs ≥ 1/2 seats; all chairpersons STs; nominate up to 1/10
Gram Sabha	Approves plans, identifies beneficiaries, utilisation certificates; consulted on land acquisition; recommendation for minor minerals; owns minor forest produce; controls land alienation, money-lending, intoxicants, village markets
Rules (early 2026)	9 of 10 states; Jharkhand Jan 2026; Odisha pending
Sixth Schedule	AMTM; 10 Autonomous District Councils

Money and numbers (dated)

Fact	Detail
15th FC (2021–26)	₹4,36,361 crore to local bodies (incl. ₹70,051 crore health grants)
16th FC (2026–31)	About ₹7.91 lakh crore: ~₹4.35 lakh crore rural, ~₹3.56 lakh crore urban
Scale (2025)	~2.6 lakh panchayats; 30 lakh+ elected representatives; nearly half women
50% women by state law	21 states + 2 UTs (MoPR, 2023–25)

Cases

Case	Point
Kishansing Tomar (2006)	Polls before term ends; independent SEC
K. Krishna Murthy (2010)	BC reservation upheld; 50% vertical ceiling
Rajbala (2015)	Educational qualification for panchayat candidates upheld
Vikas Kishanrao Gawali (2021)	Triple test for OBC reservation
Samatha (1997)	Tribal land to private miners void
Niyamgiri (2013)	Gram Sabhas decide (FRA)

Don’t Confuse

This	vs	That
243I — State Finance Commission	vs	243K — State Election Commission
Eleventh Schedule — 29, panchayats	vs	Twelfth Schedule — 18, municipalities
Balwant Rai Mehta — 3 tiers, 1957	vs	Ashok Mehta — 2 tiers, 1977–78
DPC (243ZD) — 4/5 elected	vs	MPC (243ZE) — 2/3 elected
Wards Committees — 3 lakh	vs	Metropolitan area — 10 lakh
Fifth Schedule — 10 states, PESA	vs	Sixth Schedule — AMTM, ADCs
Part IX — panchayats (73rd)	vs	Part IXB — co-operatives (97th)
Lord Mayo (1870) — finance	vs	Lord Ripon (1882) — local self-government
PESA — consulted on land acquisition	vs	LARR 2013 — prior consent of Gram Sabha in Scheduled Areas

Favourite MCQ traps

50% women and OBC reservation in local bodies come from state law, not the Constitution (which mandates only one-third for women).
The DPC is in the 74th Amendment, though it covers rural areas.
The mayor’s mode of election is a state choice (Art 243R).
PESA is an ordinary Act, covers only Fifth Schedule areas and only minor minerals.
The 64th Bill failed in the Rajya Sabha, not the Lok Sabha.

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