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The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.[1] It is one of the oldest systems of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical mentions date to around 250 CE.[2] The word raj means 'rule' and panchayat means 'assembly' (ayat) of 'five' (panch). Traditionally, panchayats consisted of wise and respected elders chosen and accepted by the local community. These assemblies settled disputes between both individuals and villages. However, there were varying forms of such assemblies.
The leader of the panchayat was often called the president mukhiya, sarpanch, or pradhan, an elected or generally acknowledged position. The modern panchayati raj of India and its gram panchayats are neither to be confused with the traditional system nor with the extra-constitutional khap panchayats (or caste panchayats) found in parts of northern India.[3]
Mahatma Gandhi advocated panchayat raj as the foundation of India's political system. It would have been a decentralised form of government, where each village would be responsible for its own affairs.[4][5] The term for such a vision was Gram Swaraj ("village self-governance"). While India developed a highly centralised system of government,[6] this has been moderated by the delegation of several administrative functions to the local level, empowering elected gram panchayats.[7]
Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated panchayati at Nagaur on October 2, 1959. The day was selected on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. Gandhi wanted Gram Swaraj through Panchayati Raj.[8][9] The system was modified in 1992.[10]
- ^ Although it is also found in other places such as Trinidad and Tobago. "The Panchayat system as an early form of conflict resolution in Trinidad - GCSE History". www.markedbyteachers.com. "Carmona wants "Panchayat" system to resolve conflicts". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 30 May 2016. "Return of the panchayat". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 12 May 2005.
- ^ P.B. Udgaonkar (1986), Political Institutions & Administration, Motilal Banarasidass Publishers, 1986, ISBN 978-81-20-82087-6,
... these popular courts are first mentioned by Yajnavalkya and then by Narada, Brishaspati, Somadeva and Sukra. These writers covered a period of about a thousand years, c. 100 to 1950 A.D., and they could not have mechanically referred to the popular courts if they were not actually functioning ...
- ^ Mullick, Rohit & Raaj, Neelam (9 September 2007). "Panchayats turn into kangaroo courts". The Times of India.
- ^ Sisodia, R. S. (1971). "Gandhiji's Vision of Panchayati Raj". Panchayat Aur Insan. 3 (2): 9–10.
- ^ Sharma, Manohar Lal (1987). Gandhi and Democratic Decentralization in India. New Delhi: Deep and Deep Publications. OCLC 17678104. Hathi Trust copy, search only
- ^ Hardgrave, Robert L. & Kochanek, Stanley A. (2008). India: Government and Politics in a Developing Nation (seventh ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Thomson/Wadsworth. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-495-00749-4.
- ^ Pellissery, S. (2007). "Do Multi-level Governance Meet Local Aspirations?". Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration. 28 (1): 28–40.
- ^ Sharma, Shakuntla (1994). Grass Root Politics and Panchayati Raj. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 131.
- ^ Singh, Surat (2004). Decentralised Governance in India: Myth and Reality. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 74. ISBN 978-81-7629-577-2.
- ^ Singh, Vijandra (2003). "Chapter 5: Panchayate Raj and Gandhi". Panchayati Raj and Village Development: Volume 3, Perspectives on Panchayati Raj Administration. Studies in public administration. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. pp. 84–90. ISBN 978-81-7625-392-5.