Panchayat Raj in Karnataka

Panchayat Raj in Karnataka

During the course of these four decades (1952-1993) radical changes have been brought into practice in the concept, structure, constitution and modus operandi of Panchayat Raj institutions in practice in Karnataka by enacting progressive legislations by the successive Governments in power in order to translate the concept of decentralisation and ‘Grama Swarajya’ and ‘Surajya’ in to a reality. After the Reorganisation of the State, in 1960, a unified a comprehensive Panchayat Raj Act known as Karnataka Local Boards and Village Panchayats Act 1959, came into being since 1960. Under this Act, Village Panchayats at the village level, Taluk Development Boards at the Taluk level and District Development Councils for each district were constituted. Under the above threetier system of administration, only the Village Panchayats and Taluk Development Boards had elected representatives. The District Development Councils were mere advisory bodies comprising of Government officials of the

development departments works and schemes were non-official members. In the above system most of the rural development works and schemes were channalised through Taluk Development Boards. Village Panchayats worked under the control of the Taluk Development Boards. This system of Panchayat Raj institutions continued till 1983. In order to have decentralisation in administration, at the Mandal levels, increased people’s participation in the process of development etc., the earlier Act of 1959 was replaced by a new Act known as Karnataka Zilla Parishads, Taluk Panchayat Samithis, Mandal Panchayats and Nyaya Panchayat Act in 1983. This Act came into effect from

1985. The Nyaya Panchayats included in the Act did not come into existence. These new Panchayat Raj institutions came into being in the State in 1987 when the elections were held to these bodies for the first time. Franchise was extended to those completing 18 years of age. According to the new Act the three-tier, inter-linked development oriented institutions known as Mandal Panchayats at the village level, Taluk Panchayat Samithis at the taluk level and Zilla Parishads at the district were reconstituted. In the new system, only Mandal Panchayats and Zilla Parishads were having elected bodies. Taluk Panchayat Samithis remained only as supervisory or co-ordinating institutions between Mandals and Zilla Parishad and used to work under Zilla Parishads.In the new setup, Zilla Parishads were entrusted with more powers and

functions. They almost functioned like the Governments of the districts. Most of the development activities of the state were executed or carried through Zilla Parishads and Mandals. Nearly 80% of the total development expenditure was earmarked to Zilla Parishads. Except major and medium irrigation works, all other developmental works were entrusted to Zilla Parishads. Mandals had separate powers to carry out certain specified (27) delopmental works according to local neeeds. The impact to decentralised administration of Zilla Parishads, Mandal Panchayats was very much felt in rural areas specially in the improvement of attendance in primary schools, of both students and teachers and doctors in the rural hospitals and field staff of other departments as revealed by the evaluation committee on the working of Zilla Parishads and Mandal Panchayats.

The area of operation of a Mandal was fairly larger, compared to the earlier village Panchayat. Generally, a Mandal comprised a village or groups of closely associated villages covering a population between 8,000 to 12,000. Before their abolition in 1992, there were about 2,500 Mandals in the state. The term of office of the elected members was 5 years. There was a provision for the nomination of members from the backward communities to the council of a Mandal. In addition to 18% reservation of seats for the SC/ST communities, there was provision for reserving 25% of the total seats in all categories for women. This system of local administration continued for the period of 5 years till 1992. The total number of elected members of Zilla Parishads were 887 and of them 175 were from the SC/ST communities., and 211 women. The

total number of elected members of 2,469 Mandal Panchayats were 55,188, and of them 11,968 were from SC/ST communities and 14,025 women members of all categories.

Karnataka Panchayati Raj Act 1993

In order to further strengthen the functioning of rural Panchayati Raj institutions in the state by decentralisation at the appropriate level and to improve the quality of functioning, to provide social justice by means of extending additional reservation facilities to SC/ST communities (23 percent), women and other backward classes (33 %} etc., the new Panchayati Raj Act was introduced. The New Act also contemplates the reservation of seats for the chair persons by rotation. The new Act has come into force from 10th May 1993. It is a comprehensive enactment to establish a three-tier Panchayat Raj system in the state with elected bodies at the Village, Taluk and District levels. It is enacted keeping in view of the 73rd Constitution Amendment relating to Panchayats. It ensures greater participation of the people and more effective implementation of rural development programmes. Panchayat at the taluk under the new Act, there will be a Grama Panchayat for a village or group of villages, at the Taluk level, and the Zilla Panchayat at the district level. All the three institutions will have elected representatives and there is no provision for nomination by the Government to any of these councils. Karnataka is the first state in the country to enact new Panchayat Raj Act incorporating all provisions of 73rd Amendment

to the Constitution. In accordance with the provisions of the present Act, the elections to 5,645 Grama Panchayats were held in December 1993 for nearly 79,865 seats of which 23,454 were women, whereas elections to Taluk Panchayats and Zilla Panchayats were held in March 1995. The number of members elected to Z.illa Panchayats and Taluk Panchayats are 919 and 3,340 respectively. Over two crore voters have exercised their franchise in these elections. In 1999-2000 there were 5,692 Gram Panchayat with a total number of 73,547 (30,155) Taluk Panchayats 3,340 (1345) and zilla Panchayat 919 (335) in the state. Figures in bracket indicate women members).

In the new Act provision has been made for setting up a Destrict Planning Committee, Finance Commission and Permanent Election Commission. It is reported that in these elections women will secure 40% representation in Taluk Panchayats and 36% in Zilla Panchayats, the SC and ST communities getting 18% and 5% seats respectively. The backward castes in A category will get 27% reservation in T.Ps and 26% in Z.P.s. The backward class in B category will get 7% in both the Z.Ps and T.P.s and general category will get 40% reservation in both bodies. To facilitate early elections to Gram Panchayats the Karnataka Gram Panchayat Act (2nd Amendment) – Ordinance 1999 was

promulgated to amend section 4 & 5 of the Act on 28.1.1999 . That State Government has also framed the Karnataka Zilla Panchayat at (business) Rules 1998 pertaining to monthly allowance to member, annual grant to Gram Panchayat and convening Gram Sabhas in every village. To make Panchayat Raj institution more accountable and responsive, government has recently introduced the Panchayat Jamakhandi.

rajeshkumar