The 73rd Constitutional Amendment is related to:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Panchayat Raj Institutions
Option (1) Land reforms — Incorrect. Land reforms were a series of laws passed from the 1950s to the 1970s — zamindari abolition, tenancy acts and land ceiling acts — to change the landholding system. They were not brought in by the 73rd Amendment.
Option (2) Panchayat Raj Institutions — Correct. It was only in 1992 that grassroots democracy or decentralised governance was ushered in by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. The Act provided constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), made elections to local bodies compulsory every five years and reserved one third of the seats for women.
Option (3) Anti Defection Law — Incorrect. An anti-defection law stops elected members of Parliament or a state legislature from switching parties after an election; such a member can lose the seat. It concerns legislators, not village self-government.
Option (4) National Green Tribunal — Incorrect. The National Green Tribunal is a special court for cases on the environment, such as pollution and the protection of forests. It has nothing to do with panchayats.
Note: The chapter ‘The Story of Indian Democracy’ of the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023, has been renamed ‘The Constitution and Social Change’ in the NCERT book (2025-26). Its part on Panchayati Raj and the 73rd Amendment is still there.
NCERT (2025-26): “Ideals of Panchayati Raj … It was, however, only in 1992 that grassroot democracy or decentralised governance was ushered in by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. This act provided constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). It is compulsory now for local self-government bodies in rural and municipal areas to be elected every five years. More importantly, control of local resources is given to the elected local bodies.…” |