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The 73rd amendment of the Constitution provided constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions. Which of the following are the main features of this provision? I. A three tier system of Panchayat Raj for all states. II. Panchayat election in every 5 years. III. Not less than 33% of seats are reserved for women. IV. Constitution of district planning committeses to prepare development plans. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 introduced several mandatory provisions for Panchayati Raj Institutions. Statement I is correct as it established a uniform three-tier system (village, intermediate, and district levels) across states, though states with populations under 20 lakh may skip the intermediate level [c1][c4]. Statement II is correct as the Act mandates regular elections every five years [c3][t3]. Statement III is correct because Article 243D requires that not less than one-third (33%) of seats be reserved for women [t2][t4]. Statement IV is incorrect in the context of the 73rd Amendment alone; while District Planning Committees (DPCs) consolidate panchayat plans, they were specifically mandated under Article 243ZD, which was introduced by the 74th Amendment Act (1992) concerning Municipalities, although they serve both rural and urban bodies [t1][t3]. Therefore, only features I, II, and III are primary features of the 73rd Amendment's Part IX provisions.
Sources
- [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 4: Salient Features of the Constitution > III I Three-tier Government > p. 33
- [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Salient Features > p. 389
- [3] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > 5. The Panchayat-Level Planning > p. 58
- [4] https://www.tnrd.tn.gov.in/panchayatraj_inst/Constitution_Act_1992.html
- [5] https://www.mea.gov.in/Images/pdf1/Part9.pdf
- [6] https://www.tnsfc.tn.gov.in/constitutional_provision
- [7] https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=56418