SSC CGL Polity · Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Local Governance
Local Self-Government and Panchayati Raj
Panchayati Raj from Ripon to the 73rd Amendment, the committees that shaped it, the States left outside it, and two facts about elections and parties.
Why this matters
Ten questions in the bank: three from the 2023 shifts and seven from the 2024 shifts. Each asks for one name, Article or Part, so a single list of facts covers the page.
Concept 1 of 2: Panchayati Raj
Definition
In time order:
- Lord Ripon's resolution of 1882 made him the father of local self-government in India.
- Article 40, a Directive Principle, asked the State to organise village panchayats.
- Committees: Balwant Rai Mehta (1957) proposed three tiers; Ashok Mehta (1978); P. K. Thungon (1989) recommended constitutional recognition.
- Part IX on the Panchayats (Articles 243 to 243-O) came with the 73rd Amendment (1992).
- A State Election Commissioner, appointed by the Governor, conducts panchayat elections.
- Article 243M keeps Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram outside Part IX, so they have no Panchayati Raj institutions.
- In December 2021 the Supreme Court stayed OBC quotas in local body elections in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
Example 1 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Local Governance · Local Self-Government and Panchayati Raj
Thungon for recognition, Balwant Rai Mehta for three tiers
Concept 2 of 2: Parties and voter enrolment
Definition
The facts:
- India has a multi-party system with recognised national and state parties.
- Parties register with, get symbols from and are recognised by the Election Commission, not the Supreme Court, the President or Parliament.
- The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 gave four qualifying dates a year for enrolment, 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October, in place of 1 January alone.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who registers parties and allots symbols | The Election Commission |
| Qualifying dates for enrolment (since 2021) | 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 OctoberQ |
Practice this conceptself-check · 2 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
Example 2 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Local Governance · Local Self-Government and Panchayati Raj
The President does not allot symbols
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (2)
Panchayati Raj5 rows
Parties and voter enrolment2 rows
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who registers parties and allots symbols | The Election Commission |
| Qualifying dates for enrolment (since 2021) | 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 OctoberQ |
Watch out for (2)
- Thungon for recognition, Balwant Rai Mehta for three tiers→ Panchayati Raj
- The President does not allot symbols→ Parties and voter enrolment
Test yourself on Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Local Governance
20 past SSC CGL questions from this chapter, timed at 12 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.