Panchayati Raj and Community Development (Part-IV)

Total Questions: 48

1. If a candidate expired before polling in Panchayat election, then what shall be happened? [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2017]

(i) Polling shall be postponed.

(ii) Polling shall not be postponed.

(iii) If remained only one candidate, then polling will be postponed.

(iv) If remained more than one, then polling will not be postponed.

Correct Answer: (c) iii, iv
Solution:As per section-46 of the Chhattisgarh Panchyat Nirvachan Niyam, 1995, if a candidate expires before polling in Panchyat election, and more than one candidate remain in election, then polling shall not be postponed. But if only one candidate remained, then polling will be postponed. 162. What is correct about Panchayat election? 1. There is one district election officer. ii. There are one or more returning officers. iii. State election commission appoints returning officer.

2. What is correct about Panchayat election? [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) - 2017]

i. There is one district election officer.

ii. There are one or more returning officers.

iii. State election commission appoints returning officer.

iv. With the consent of Commission District Election Officer can appoint returning officer.

v. Naib Tehsildar may be returning officer for Janpad Panchayat.

vi. Naib Tehsildar may be returning officer for Gram Panchayat.

vii. Naib Tehsildar may be returning officer for Zila Panchayat.

viii. District election officer himself only returning officer.

Correct Answer: (a) i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi
Solution:
In a Panchayat election-

(a) There is one district election officer.

(b) There are one or more returning officers.

(c) State election commission appoints returning officer.

(d) With the consent of commission District Election officer can appoint returning officer.

(e) Naib Tehsildar may be a returning officer for Janpad Panchayat.

(f) Naib Tehsildar may be a returning officer for Gram Panchayat.

3. Which statement is correct about Panchayati Raj? [U.P.R.O./A.R.O. (Pre) 2023]

Correct Answer: (c) Election of the Panchayati Raj Institutions is conducted under the supervision of the State Elections Commission.
Solution:

Zila Parishad is the body that lies at the apex of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system. Significantly Zila Parishad consists - Heads of all departments of district, (Ex-officio member, head/ chair person of all Panchayat samitis of that district, member of Parliament and member of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council of the district, Representatives of SC, ST, women Co-operative societies etc. So, it is clear that all members are not constituted with directly elected members. Significantly, minimum age is 21 years to contest the election at the Panchayat level. Notably election of the Panchayati Raj Institutions is conducted under the supervision of the State Election Commission.

4. A person can contest the Panchayat election, if he has attained the age of - [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2012]

Correct Answer: (c) 21 years
Solution:
  • All the members of Panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels shall be elected directly by the people.
  • The Chairperson of a Panchayat at the village level shall be elected in such manner as determined by the State Legislature.
  • The Chairperson of Panchayats at the intermediate and district levels shall be elected indirectly by and from amongst the elected members thereof.
    Note:
    -As per Article 243F, the minimum age for contesting Panchayat elections in India is 21 years.
    - The State Legislature may make provisions with respect to all matters relating to elections to the Panchayats.

5. The minimum age for contesting elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions should be how many years according to the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act? [68th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2022]

Correct Answer: (b) 21 years
Solution:

Decentralization is the process in which power is divided among many units. As for the local self-government’s structure in India, Panchayati Raj Institution is a system of local self-government in rural areas of the Indian subcontinent. Local Self Government helps in the management of local affairs. It is important to mention here that such local bodies have representatives who have been elected by the local people and hence have a better understanding of grass-root level issues. The minimum age that a person should have for contesting elections is 21 years. The 73rd Amendment Act 1992 added Part IX in the Constitution of India and was titled “The Panchayats”. Furthermore, Part IXA of the Constitution, titled “The Municipalities”, was added by the 74th Amendment Act 1992.

6. Consider the following statements: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2016]

1.The minimum age prescribed for any person to be a member of Panchayat is 25 years.
2. A Panchayat reconstituted after premature dissolution continues only for the remainder period.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

 

Correct Answer: (b) 2 only
Solution:The minimum age to be a member of a Panchayat is 21 years. Thus statement (1) is not correct. According to Article 243E, a Panchayat constituted upon the dissolution of a Panchayat before the expiration of its duration shall continue only for the remainder of the period for which the dissolved Panchayat would have continued. So statement (2) is correct.

7. A college student desires to get elected to the Municipal Council of his city. The validity of his nomination would depend on the important condition, among others, that: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2000]

Correct Answer: (c) His name figures in the voter's list.
Solution:A person will be eligible for being elected to the Municipal Council if his name appears in the electoral rolls of that Municipal Council.
  • The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 provides for the constitution of the following three types of Municipalities or Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in every State:
    ∗ A Nagar Panchayat (by whatever name called) for a Transitional Area,
    ∗ A Municipal Council for a Smaller Urban Area.
    ∗ A Municipal Corporation for a Larger Urban Area.
  • The Governor has to specify a Transitional Area, a Smaller Urban Area, or a Larger Urban Area, keeping in view the following factors:
    ∗ The population of the area,
    ∗ The density of the population therein,
    ∗ The revenue generated for local administration,
    ∗ The percentage of employment in non-agricultural activities,
    ∗ Economic importance, and
    ∗ Such other factors as he/she may deem fit.

8. Who among the following constitutes "Finance Commission" to review the financial position of Panchayats? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2015]

Correct Answer: (c) The Governor of the concerned State
Solution:According to Article 243(I) of the Constitution, the Governor of a State shall, as soon as may be within one year from the commencement of the Constitution (73-Amendment) Act, 1992, and thereafter at the expiration of every fifth year, constitute a Finance Commission to review the financial position of the Panchayats and to make recommendations to the President.

9. Who has been authorized to constitute Finance Commission to review finance position of Panchayat? [Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2022]

Correct Answer: (a) The Governor of a State
Solution:According to Article 243(I) of the Constitution, the Governor of a State shall, as soon as may be within one year from the commencement of the Constitution (73-Amendment) Act, 1992, and thereafter at the expiration of every fifth year, constitute a Finance Commission to review the financial position of the Panchayats and to make recommendations to the President.

10. To review the financial position of Panchayats, the State Government constitutes every five years a/an: [67th B.P.S.C. (Pre) (Re-Exam) 2021]

Correct Answer: (a) Finance commission
Solution:The state Government constitutes a finance commission every five years to review the financial condition of Panchayats. There is a provision for the constitution of the finance commission under Article 243 I of the constitution. Under this, the finance commission is constituted by the governor.

State Finance Commission

-The Governor of a State shall constitute a State Finance Commission, after every five years, to review the financial position of the Panchayats.
-The State Legislature may provide for the composition of the State Finance Commission, the required qualifications of its members, and the manner of their selection.
-The State Finance Commission shall make the following recommendations to the Governor of the State:
1. The principles that should govern:
a. The distribution between the State and the Panchayats of the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls, and fees levied by the State and the allocation of shares amongst the Panchayats at all levels.
b. The determination of taxes, duties, tolls, and fees that may be assigned to the Panchayats.
c. The grants-in-aid to the Panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the State.
2. The measures needed to improve the financial position of the Panchayats.
3. Any other matter referred to by the Governor in the interests of sound finance of the Panchayats.
- The Governor shall place the recommendations of the commission along with the action taken report before the State Legislature.
- The Central Finance Commission shall also suggest the measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the Panchayats
in the States (on the basis of the recommendations made by the State Finance Commission).