Question

Which one of the following is not correct about the Panchayats as laid down in Part IX of the Constitution of India?
A) The Chairperson of a Panchayat needs to be directly by people in order to exercise the right to vote in the Panchayat meetings. B) The State Legislature has the right to decide whether or not offices of the Chairpersons in the Panchayats are reserved for SCs, STs or women. C) Unless dissolved earlier, every Panchayat continues for a period of five years. D) The State Legislature may by law make provisions for audit of accounts of the Panchayats.​

Answer 1

Answer:

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

Though the Panchayati Raj Institutions have been in existence for a

long time, it has been observed that these institutions have not been

able to acquire the status and dignity of viable and responsive

people's bodies due to a number of reasons including absence of

regular elections, prolonged supersessions, insufficient

representation of weaker sections like Scheduled Castes, Scheduled

Tribes and women, inadequate devolution of powers and lack of

financial resources.

2. Article 40 of the Constitution which enshrines one of the

Directive Principles of State Policy lays down that the State shall

take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such

powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as

units of self-government. In the light of the experience in the last

forty years and in view of the short-comings which have been observed,

it is considered that there is an imperative need to enshrine in the

Constitution certain basic and essential features of Panchayati Raj

Institutions to impart certainty, continuity and strength to them.

3. Accordingly, it is proposed to add a new Part relating to

Panchayats in the Constitution to provide for among other things, Gram

Sabha in a village or group of villages; constitution of Panchayats

at village and other level or levels; direct elections to all seats

in Panchayats at the village and intermediate level, if any, and to

the offices of Chairpersons of Panchayats at such levels; reservation

of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in proportion

to their population for membership of Panchayats and office of

Chairpersons in Panchayats at each level; reservation of not less

than one-third of the seats for women; fixing tenure of 5 years for

Panchayats and holding elections within a period of 6 months in the

event of supersession of any Panchayat; disqualifications for

membership of Panchayats; devolution by the State Legislature of

powers and responsibilities upon the Panchayats with respect to the

preparation of plans for economic developments and social justice and

for the implementation of development schemes; sound finance of the

Panchayats by securing authorisation from State Legislatures for

grants-in-aid to the Panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the

State, as also assignment to, or appropriation by, the Panchayats of

the revenues of designated taxes, duties, tolls and fees; setting up

of a Finance Commission within one year of the proposed amendment and

thereafter every 5 years to review the financial position of

Panchayats; auditing of accounts of the Panchayats; powers of State

Legislatures to make provisions with respect to elections to

Panchayats under the superintendence, direction and control of the

chief electoral officer of the State; application of the provisions

of the said Part to Union territories; excluding certain States and

areas from the application of the provisions of the said Part;

continuance of existing laws and Panchayats until one year from the

commencement of the proposed amendment and barring interference by

courts in electoral matters relating to Panchayats.