Maarg Manthan · Topic 23.4

Reservation of Seats in Panchayats (Article 243D)

Indian Polity › Local Government: Panchayats and Municipalities · Topic 23.4

Article 243D reserves panchayat seats and chairperson posts for SCs and STs in proportion to population and not less than one-third for women, with backward-class reservation left to the states; SC/ST reservation lasts to 2030.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Polity · Local Government: Panchayats and Municipalities

At a Glance

What it is Reservation for SCs, STs, women and backward classes in panchayats
Article Article 243D
Women Not less than one-third of seats and chairperson posts
Limit SC/ST reservation until the period in Article 334 (2030)
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Polity: Local Government: Panchayats and Municipalities

Where Does It Fit?

This is the fourth topic of the category on Local Government. Reservation in panchayats is one of the key compulsory provisions of the 73rd Amendment, aimed at giving weaker sections a share in local power.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

The Act provides for the reservation of seats for SCs and STs in every panchayat, at all three levels, in proportion to their population in the panchayat area to the total population. The state legislature shall also provide for the reservation of offices of chairperson in the panchayat at the village or any other level for the SCs and STs. The reservation of seats and of chairperson posts for SCs and STs ceases to have effect after the period specified in Article 334, which is presently eighty years, that is, until 2030. This provision on SC reservation does not apply to Arunachal Pradesh, because the state is fully inhabited by indigenous tribal people and there are no scheduled castes; this was added by the 83rd Amendment Act of 2000.

Women

Not less than one-third of the total number of seats must be reserved for women, including seats reserved for women of the SCs and STs. Not less than one-third of the total number of offices of chairpersons in the panchayats at each level shall be reserved for women. Reservation for women, SCs and STs in seats and chairperson posts at all three levels is a compulsory provision. Fixing reservations in this way gives the weaker sections a stake in local power and makes the panchayats more representative. The reserved seats are filled by election, and are allotted by rotation to different constituencies.

Backward Classes

The Act also authorises the legislature of a state to make any provision for reservation of seats in any panchayat or offices of chairperson in the panchayat at any level in favour of the backward classes. This is a voluntary provision, left to each state. The Thungon and Gadgil Committees had recommended reservation of seats in all three tiers based on population and for women, which the Act has followed.

Category	Seats	Chairperson posts	Nature
SCs and STs	In proportion to population	Reserved by state law	Compulsory
Women	Not less than one-third (including SC/ST women)	Not less than one-third at each level	Compulsory
Backward classes	As the state decides	As the state decides	Voluntary

Reservation in Panchayats and Municipalities Compared

Point	Panchayats (73rd Amendment)	Municipalities (74th Amendment)
SC/ST seats	In proportion to population in the panchayat area	In proportion to population in the municipal area
Women	Not less than one-third of seats and chairperson posts	Not less than one-third of seats; chairperson posts as the state decides
Backward classes	State may provide	State may provide
SC/ST sunset	Period in Article 334 (till 2030)	Period in Article 334 (till 2030)
Arunachal Pradesh exception	SC reservation not applicable	Not mentioned

The comparison shows that the municipalities leave the reservation of chairperson offices to the state legislature, while the panchayat law itself fixes one-third for women and reserves chairperson offices for SCs and STs. The Thungon Committee had recommended reservation in all three tiers on the basis of population, and the Ashok Mehta Committee recommended seats for SCs and STs on the basis of population, which the 73rd Amendment adopted.

PESA and Scheduled Areas

In the Scheduled Areas, the PESA Act provides that the reservation of seats in every panchayat shall be in proportion to the population of the communities for whom reservation is given under Part IX, but the reservation for the Scheduled Tribes shall not be less than one-half of the total number of seats, and all seats of chairpersons of panchayats at all levels shall be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. The state government may nominate Scheduled Tribes with no representation in the intermediate or district panchayat, but the nominations cannot exceed one-tenth of the members to be elected. The 73rd Amendment itself does not apply to the Fifth and Sixth Schedule areas, which is why this special rule exists.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Frequent facts One-third women, 2030 sunset
Arunachal exception Asked occasionally
PESA rule One-half for Scheduled Tribes

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the State Finance Commission for panchayats under Article 243-I.

Key People and Terms

Reservation Seats set apart for categories
Article 334 Period for SC/ST reservation in legislatures
Chairperson reservation Office-level quota
Backward classes Voluntary category
Rotation Changing reserved constituencies

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Women: one-third of seats and chairpersons.
SC/ST reservation until 2030 (Article 334).
Backward classes: voluntary.
Scheduled Areas: ST seats one-half at least.

Do Not Confuse With

Compulsory and voluntary reservation SC/ST/women versus backward classes
Seats and offices Both reserved
Panchayat and Scheduled Areas PESA adds ST rules

Memory Hook

One-third for women, population share for SC/ST, backward classes by choice, Scheduled Areas half for tribes.

Mains Angle

Questions on this topic usually ask about women’s empowerment. Use these points to add depth.

Women’s representation One-third reservation
Social inclusion SC and ST quotas
State discretion Backward classes
Tribal areas PESA special rule

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the provisions for reservation in panchayats under the 73rd Amendment.”

How to Answer

Introduction Article 243D.
Groups SC, ST, women, backward classes.
PESA Special rule.
Conclusion Empowerment.

GS Relevance

Prelims: Indian Polity, Panchayati Raj. GS Paper 2: Local government and women empowerment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What reservation is provided for women in panchayats?

Not less than one-third of the total seats in every panchayat, including seats reserved for SC and ST women, and not less than one-third of the offices of chairpersons at each level must be reserved for women.

How are seats reserved for SCs and STs?

Seats in every panchayat at all three levels are reserved for SCs and STs in proportion to their population in the panchayat area, and the offices of chairperson are also reserved for them as the state legislature provides.

Until when does the SC/ST reservation continue?

The reservation of seats and chairperson posts for SCs and STs ceases after the period specified in Article 334, presently eighty years, which means until 2030. The women’s reservation is not subject to this limit.

Why is SC reservation not applied in Arunachal Pradesh?

Arunachal Pradesh is inhabited fully by indigenous tribal people and has no scheduled castes, so the provision on SC reservation does not apply to it. This exception was added by the 83rd Amendment Act of 2000.

What is the reservation for STs in Scheduled Areas?

Under PESA 1996, the reservation for Scheduled Tribes in the panchayats of Scheduled Areas shall not be less than one-half of the total seats, and all the chairperson seats at all levels shall be reserved for Scheduled Tribes.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 One-third of panchayat chairperson posts are reserved for women.

True

At each level.

2 Reservation for backward classes in panchayats is compulsory.

False

Voluntary.

3 SC/ST reservation in panchayats lasts until 2030.