---
title: "Local Government: 73rd & 74th Amendments | Model Diplomat"
description: "Learn how the 73rd and 74th Amendments of 1992 gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies, covering architecture, schedules, finance"
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/upsc-indian-polity-local-government-73rd-74th-amendments-panchayati-raj"
---

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Local government (73rd & 74th Amendments, Panchayati Raj)

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# Local government (73rd & 74th Amendments, Panchayati Raj)

The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992) gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies—architecture, Eleventh/Twelfth Schedules, finance and elections.

## From Directive Principle to Constitutional Mandate

Local self-government appeared first only as a Directive Principle: **Article 40** directs the State to organise village panchayats as units of self-government. For four decades panchayats lived at the mercy of state statutes—irregularly constituted, rarely funded, frequently superseded. The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) proposed a three-tier system; Rajasthan inaugurated Panchayati Raj at Nagaur on **2 October 1959**, followed by Andhra Pradesh. The Ashok Mehta Committee (1978) recommended a two-tier model and constitutional status. The L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986) explicitly urged constitutionalising local government.

The breakthrough came with the **Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992** (rural) and the **Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992** (urban), both effective **24 April 1993** and **1 June 1993** respectively. The 73rd inserted **Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O)** and the **Eleventh Schedule** (29 subjects). The 74th inserted **Part IX-A (Articles 243-P to 243-ZG)** and the **Twelfth Schedule** (18 subjects). These amendments converted local government from a state-discretionary subject into a constitutional obligation.

## The Three-Tier Panchayat Structure

**Article 243-B** mandates panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels, with the intermediate tier optional for states with population below 20 lakh. **Article 243-C** provides that all seats be filled by **direct election** from territorial constituencies. **Article 243-D** reserves seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their population, and reserves **not less than one-third** of all seats (and chairperson posts) for women—a figure many states have since raised to 50%.

**Article 243-E** fixes the term at **five years**; if a panchayat is dissolved early, fresh elections must be held within **six months**. **Article 243-F** lays down disqualifications, importing the state legislature's disqualification rules and setting the minimum age to contest at **21 years**. **Article 243-G** empowers legislatures to devolve powers for economic development and social justice, with reference to the Eleventh Schedule.

## Urban Local Bodies under Part IX-A

The 74th Amendment classifies urban bodies into **Nagar Panchayats** (transitional areas), **Municipal Councils** (smaller urban areas) and **Municipal Corporations** (larger urban areas) under **Article 243-Q**. **Article 243-ZD** mandates a **District Planning Committee** to consolidate panchayat and municipal plans; **Article 243-ZE** mandates a **Metropolitan Planning Committee** for areas above ten lakh population. **Article 243-W** references the Twelfth Schedule subjects—urban planning, water supply, slum improvement, urban poverty alleviation. Crucially, **Article 243-ZA** vests superintendence of municipal elections in the State Election Commission, mirroring the rural provision.

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