The autonomy granted to local bodies under 73rd & 74th to Constitution of India is sufficient – Give your views
Answers
Answer:
73rd and 74th Constitution Amendments:
Given its far-reaching consequences, the 73 rd Amendment (together with the 74th) is rightly called ‘a silent revolution’ for various reasons. First of all, the PRIs no longer operate at the whim of state governments and their laws. They are now a part of the Constitution and enjoy the status of institutions of self-government, as parliament at the federal level and legislative assemblies at the state level.
The amendment prescribes regular elections every five years and election within six months of the dissolution of any PRI. To ensure free, fair, and timely elections there is a provision for the setting up of state election commission. The most revolutionary provision is the reservation of one-third of the seats for women in local bodies, along with reservation of seats for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in proportion to their regional populations.
The amendment lays down 29 functions to be entrusted to the PRIs. To maintain a democratic ethos, popular accountability, and transparency, the amendment emphases the need for periodic meetings of the gram sabha, composed of all adults in each village. These meetings will approve ongoing programmes and financial allocations. In brief, the amendment visualises the allocation of funds, functions, and functionaries to these bodies to ensure genuine and effective democratic decentralisation.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The Constitutional Amendment Bill came into effect from April 24, 1994. Principally, it gave:
i. The panchayats constitutional status (previously panchayat matters were considered as state subjects);
ii. An institionalised three tier system at village, block and district levels;
iii. The amendment stipulated that all panchayat members be elected for five year term in the elections supervised by the state election commission.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Profile of women’s participation in local governance:
There were already some women in local government prior to the passing of the 73rd and 74th Amendments. But they were few and far between. In most cases the state laws prescribed at least one or two seats for women in the old-style PRIs. Very often these seats were filled though nomination.
The nominees, invariably, were members of elite families belonging to higher castes and owning substantial land, thus enjoying high status in terms of family, cast, and class. These women were usually related to established political leaders. As symbols of tokenism, they rarely took active interest in the functioning of the PRIs. The new system of reservation and competitive elections based on adult franchise changed this situation radically.
When the provisions for reservations of seats for women were being debated in parliament, several members were doubtful that such large numbers of women would come forward to contest these seats. But these doubts proved to be wrong.
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