The 73rd amendment has been monumental in bringing a voice in the people in the village. Discuss.

I. Amendment: The 73rd amendment to the Constitution except a marginal reference in the Constitution of India in its a portion related to the Directive Principles of the State Policy, panchayat had no Constitutional status. But the position radically changed in 1993, when the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution was passed in the Parliament and received the assent of the President of India.

The amendment is based on the principle of power to the people and provides constitutional guarantee to the panchayats. The salient features of the act are given below:

(i) It recognises panchayats, as institutions of self-government.

(ii) It entrusts panchayats the powers and responsiblities to prepare a plan for economic development and social justice.

(iii) It provides for the establishment of uniform three-tier system of strong panchayats at village, intermediate (block/taluka) and district(zilla) levels for all states having a population of over twenty lakhs.

(vi) It gives guidelines for the structure, power and functions, finance and elections and reservations of seats for the weaker sections at various levels of panchayats.

II Conclusion:

(i) The 73rd Amendment Act to the Indian Constitution has been hailed as a revolutionary step towards establishing grass-root democracy.

(ii) The blueprint provided by the Amendment (of 1993) has now become a reality.

(iii) All the states have passed legislation in conformity with the provisions of the Amendment.

Thus, for the first time in the history of Panchayati Raj system, a high degree of uniformity has been achieved on panchayats.

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