Panchayati Raj in Uttar Pradesh: Structure and Representation Overview

Abstract

The state of Uttar Pradesh in India adopted a three-tier system of Panchayats in 1961 based on the recommendations of Balwantrai Mehta Committee Report. In addition to village Panchayats, the Kshetra Samitis and Zilla Parishads were constituted under the Kshetra Samiti and Zilla Parishad Adhiniyam of 1961. UP did not enact a new Panchayati Raj legislation in conformity with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. It amended the two existing Acts namely the United Provinces Panchayat Raj Act, 1947 and the Uttar Pradesh Kshetra Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat Adhiniyam 1961, incorporating provisions to conform to the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. This paper investigates the basic systems, structures and the representations in place under the three-tier Panchayati Raj in the state. Information under the acts, related to the Panchayati Raj and the amendments made thereof following the 73rd Constitutional Amendment was studied and interpreted also other secondary sources were used. Besides, primary qualitative data from field survey using participatory tools like Focused Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interview (KII) were collected and analysed to triangulate and supplement the information from the secondary sources.

Keywords: Panchayati Raj, Panchayat, U.P, Uttar Pradesh, Three-Tier Panchayati Raj

JEL Classification: P16, P10, P21, P41, P43, H00, H11, H70, H77, H79