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UPSSSC VDO practice questions

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Question 1General Knowledge / General Studies

The Panchayati Raj system in India was given constitutional status by which amendment, and in which year was it passed?

  1. 74th Amendment, 1993
  2. 42nd Amendment, 1976
  3. 61st Amendment, 1988
  4. 73rd Amendment, 1992 Correct answer.

Explanation

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, passed in 1992 and enforced in 1993, added Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution, giving constitutional status to rural local bodies. It made three-tier Panchayati Raj mandatory for states with a population above twenty lakh. The 74th Amendment dealt with urban local bodies, not rural panchayats.

Question 2General Knowledge / General Studies

Under the Panchayati Raj provisions of the Constitution, what is the minimum age required to contest a Panchayat election?

  1. 18 years
  2. 21 years Correct answer.
  3. 30 years
  4. 25 years

Explanation

Article 243F of the Constitution states that a person is qualified to be a member of a Panchayat if he has attained the age of twenty-one years. This is lower than the twenty-five years required for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. The voting age, however, is eighteen years.

Question 3General Knowledge / General Studies

Which schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the subjects on which Panchayats may be given powers and responsibilities?

  1. Twelfth Schedule
  2. Seventh Schedule
  3. Tenth Schedule
  4. Eleventh Schedule Correct answer.

Explanation

The Eleventh Schedule, added by the 73rd Amendment, contains twenty-nine functional items such as agriculture, rural housing, drinking water and poverty alleviation. These items guide state legislatures in devolving functions to Panchayats. The Twelfth Schedule lists eighteen items for urban local bodies.

Question 4General Knowledge / General Studies

In the three-tier Panchayati Raj structure, which body functions at the intermediate level between Gram Panchayat and Zila Parishad?

  1. Municipal Council
  2. Panchayat Samiti Correct answer.
  3. Gram Sabha
  4. Nyaya Panchayat

Explanation

The intermediate tier is generally the Panchayat Samiti, operating at the block level in most states. It coordinates between the village-level Gram Panchayat and the district-level Zila Parishad. The Gram Sabha is the assembly of all voters in a village, not an intermediate tier.

Question 5General Knowledge / General Studies

The concept of the 'Gram Sabha' under the 73rd Amendment consists of which of the following?

  1. All persons registered in the electoral rolls of a village Correct answer.
  2. All members of the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad
  3. All village residents above twenty-one years of age
  4. All elected members of the Gram Panchayat only

Explanation

Article 243A defines the Gram Sabha as a body consisting of all persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of a Panchayat at the village level. Membership therefore follows the electoral roll, not age or election to office. It is the only directly democratic body at the village base.

Question 6General Knowledge / General Studies

Which state was the first to implement the Panchayati Raj system after the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee recommendations, and in which year?

  1. Andhra Pradesh in 1958
  2. Maharashtra in 1961
  3. Rajasthan in 1959 Correct answer.
  4. Gujarat in 1963

Explanation

Rajasthan was the first state to establish Panchayati Raj institutions, at Nagaur on 2 October 1959, following the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee report of 1957. Andhra Pradesh followed soon after. The committee had recommended a three-tier structure of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad.

Question 7General Knowledge / General Studies

Which committee is credited with recommending reservation of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions, leading to the 73rd Amendment provision?

  1. L. M. Singhvi Committee
  2. G. V. K. Rao Committee Correct answer.
  3. Balwant Rai Mehta Committee
  4. Ashok Mehta Committee

Explanation

The G. V. K. Rao Committee on Administrative Arrangements for Rural Development recommended, among other measures, reservation of seats for women in Panchayati Raj bodies. This fed into the eventual constitutional mandate of one-third reservation under Article 243D. Several states have since raised this to one-half by state law.

Question 8General Knowledge / General Studies

Under Article 243D, what minimum proportion of seats in a Panchayat must be reserved for women?

  1. One-third of the total number of seats Correct answer.
  2. One-half of the total number of seats
  3. One-fourth of the total number of seats
  4. One-fifth of the total number of seats

Explanation

Article 243D mandates that not less than one-third of the total number of seats filled by direct election in every Panchayat be reserved for women. The same one-third applies to chairperson offices at each tier. States may legislate for a higher proportion, and many have raised it to fifty per cent.

Question 9General Knowledge / General Studies

The State Election Commission, responsible for conducting Panchayat elections, is constituted under which article of the Constitution?

  1. Article 243K Correct answer.
  2. Article 243E
  3. Article 356
  4. Article 324

Explanation

Article 243K provides for a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election Commissioner appointed by the Governor to superintend, direct and control elections to Panchayats. A parallel provision, Article 243ZA, covers municipal elections. The Election Commission of India under Article 324 handles parliamentary and assembly elections.

Question 10General Knowledge / General Studies

What is the normal duration of a Panchayat constituted under the 73rd Amendment, and what happens if it is dissolved earlier?

  1. Six years, with no fresh election required
  2. Four years, with election at the end of the term only
  3. Five years, with the successor body serving the full five years
  4. Five years, with fresh election within six months of dissolution Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 243E fixes the term of a Panchayat at five years from the date of its first meeting. If dissolved earlier, elections must be held before the expiry of six months, and the successor body serves only the remainder of the original term. This prevents indefinite postponement of grassroots elections.

Question 11General Knowledge / General Studies

The PESA Act of 1996 extends the provisions of Panchayati Raj to which category of areas?

  1. Union Territories with legislature
  2. Urban agglomerations and municipal corporations
  3. Border districts adjoining Pakistan and China
  4. Scheduled Areas with substantial tribal population Correct answer.

Explanation

The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, commonly called PESA, extends Part IX of the Constitution to Fifth Schedule Scheduled Areas. It recognises the special customs and traditions of tribal communities and gives Gram Sabhas strong powers over minor minerals, land and local resources. Ordinary Panchayat law applies elsewhere.

Question 12General Knowledge / General Studies

Under PESA, which body is empowered to grant prospecting licences for minor minerals in Scheduled Areas?

  1. Gram Sabha or the Panchayat at the appropriate level Correct answer.
  2. State Mining Department alone
  3. District Collector in consultation with the Panchayat Samiti
  4. Zila Parishad

Explanation

PESA empowers the Gram Sabha or the Panchayat at the appropriate level to grant prospecting licences for minor minerals in Scheduled Areas. This is a deliberate shift of authority from state departments to tribal grassroots bodies. It reflects the Act's aim of self-governance consistent with customary law.

Question 13General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following is a compulsory provision of the 73rd Amendment that states must implement?

  1. Setting up of a State Finance Commission every ten years
  2. Establishment of a three-tier Panchayat structure Correct answer.
  3. Constitution of a District Planning Committee
  4. Reservation of chairperson posts for backward classes

Explanation

The 73rd Amendment makes the three-tier structure of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad mandatory for states with a population exceeding twenty lakh. States with smaller populations may opt for a two-tier structure. The other listed items are either discretionary or belong to the 74th Amendment and Article 243I.

Question 14General Knowledge / General Studies

The Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution contains how many functional items that may be devolved to Panchayats?

  1. Twelve
  2. Forty-seven
  3. Eighteen
  4. Twenty-nine Correct answer.

Explanation

The Eleventh Schedule lists twenty-nine subjects, including agriculture, land improvement, minor irrigation, rural housing, drinking water, poverty alleviation and public distribution. These are indicative functions that state legislatures may devolve. The Twelfth Schedule for municipalities has eighteen items.

Question 15General Knowledge / General Studies

Which article of the Constitution requires the State Finance Commission to be constituted every five years to review the financial position of Panchayats?

  1. Article 243G
  2. Article 243H
  3. Article 243I Correct answer.
  4. Article 280

Explanation

Article 243I requires the Governor to constitute a Finance Commission every five years to review the financial position of Panchayats and recommend principles for sharing taxes and grants-in-aid. Article 243H allows states to authorise Panchayats to levy taxes. Article 280 deals with the Union Finance Commission.

Question 16General Knowledge / General Studies

A village with a population of 4,000 elects its Panchayat. Which statement correctly describes the reservation requirement for Scheduled Castes under Article 243D?

  1. Reservation applies only to chairperson posts, not to members
  2. No reservation is required below a population of 5,000
  3. Seats are reserved in proportion to the SC population in the Panchayat area Correct answer.
  4. All seats are reserved if any SC family resides in the village

Explanation

Article 243D requires seats to be reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their population in the Panchayat area. This ensures representation roughly mirroring demographic share. Reservation of chairperson offices is a separate requirement, and no population threshold exempts a Panchayat.

Question 17General Knowledge / General Studies

The Ashok Mehta Committee of 1977 recommended which major change to the Panchayati Raj structure?

  1. Abolition of the Zila Parishad in favour of Gram Sabhas
  2. A four-tier structure with village, block, district and state levels
  3. Direct election of the Prime Minister from Panchayat representatives
  4. A two-tier structure of Zila Parishad and Mandal Panchayat Correct answer.

Explanation

The Ashok Mehta Committee recommended replacing the three-tier system with a two-tier structure of Zila Parishad at the district level and Mandal Panchayat at the lower level. It also suggested participation of political parties and a constitutional status for Panchayats. Its recommendations were not implemented nationally at the time.

Question 18General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following best describes the constitutional status of the recommendations of the State Finance Commission regarding Panchayats?

  1. They are advisory, and the government lays an action-taken report before the legislature Correct answer.
  2. They are binding on the Governor, who must accept them
  3. They require approval by the Union Finance Commission
  4. They lapse automatically if not accepted within one year

Explanation

The recommendations of the State Finance Commission are advisory in nature. The Constitution requires the Governor to place them, along with an explanatory memorandum on the action taken, before the state legislature. They are not binding, and no Union approval is needed.

Question 19General Knowledge / General Studies

In the context of rural administration, which officer is the chief executive of the Zila Parishad at the district level?

  1. Sub-Divisional Magistrate
  2. District Panchayat Officer or Chief Executive Officer Correct answer.
  3. Block Development Officer
  4. Gram Panchayat Secretary

Explanation

The Zila Parishad is headed administratively by a Chief Executive Officer or District Panchayat Officer, usually a senior state service officer. The Block Development Officer serves the intermediate Panchayat Samiti. The Gram Panchayat Secretary serves the village-level body.

Question 20General Knowledge / General Studies

The 73rd Amendment does not apply to which of the following areas, unless Parliament legislates otherwise?

  1. Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule
  2. Rural areas of Uttar Pradesh
  3. Scheduled Areas under the Sixth Schedule Correct answer.
  4. Villages with fewer than 500 persons

Explanation

Article 243M exempts the Sixth Schedule areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, along with Nagaland and certain hill areas of Manipur, from the 73rd Amendment unless Parliament extends it. These areas have autonomous district councils under the Sixth Schedule. Fifth Schedule areas are covered through PESA.

Question 21General Knowledge / General Studies

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee was constituted in which year, and what was its main purpose?

  1. 1947, to draft the Constitution's local government provisions
  2. 1957, to assess the Community Development Programme and suggest democratic decentralisation Correct answer.
  3. 1965, to review land reforms in Panchayat areas
  4. 1978, to recommend abolition of Panchayati Raj

Explanation

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee was appointed in 1957 to evaluate the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service. It recommended democratic decentralisation through a three-tier Panchayati Raj structure, which became the blueprint for later legislation. Rajasthan implemented it first in 1959.

Question 22General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following subjects appears in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution as a Panchayat function?

  1. Atomic energy
  2. Defence of India
  3. Drinking water Correct answer.
  4. Railways

Explanation

Drinking water is listed in the Eleventh Schedule among the twenty-nine subjects that may be devolved to Panchayats. Defence, atomic energy and railways are Union List subjects. The Eleventh Schedule confines itself to local rural development functions.

Question 23General Knowledge / General Studies

Under the 73rd Amendment, who has the power to dissolve a Panchayat before the expiry of its five-year term?

  1. The State Government, subject to constitutional safeguards and a right of appeal Correct answer.
  2. The Election Commission of India
  3. The State Legislature by a resolution of two-thirds majority
  4. The Governor, acting in his discretion

Explanation

A Panchayat may be dissolved by the state government before its term only after following the procedure laid down in state law, which must provide an opportunity of being heard. Article 243E requires fresh elections within six months of dissolution. The Governor's discretion and the Election Commission of India have no such power.

Question 24General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following statements about the Gram Sabha's role in social audit under PESA and related schemes is accurate?

  1. It audits through the Comptroller and Auditor General directly
  2. It has no audit role and only approves the annual budget
  3. It can conduct social audits of all works and expenditures of the Gram Panchayat Correct answer.
  4. It can audit only central government schemes, not state schemes

Explanation

The Gram Sabha is empowered to conduct social audits of all works and expenditures of the Gram Panchayat, a power reinforced by PESA and by schemes such as MGNREGA. Social audit is a participatory verification of spending by the community. It is distinct from the statutory audit by the CAG or the local fund auditor.

Question 25General Knowledge / General Studies

The 74th Amendment differs from the 73rd Amendment primarily in that it deals with which institutions?

  1. Urban local bodies such as municipalities and municipal corporations Correct answer.
  2. Rural Panchayats and their three tiers
  3. Cooperative societies and their boards
  4. Cantonment boards under the Ministry of Defence

Explanation

The 74th Amendment added Part IXA and the Twelfth Schedule, giving constitutional status to urban local bodies including Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Councils and Municipal Corporations. The 73rd Amendment dealt with rural Panchayats. The two amendments together form the constitutional framework for local self-government.

Question 26General Knowledge / General Studies

In the Panchayati Raj system, which body serves as the direct assembly of all registered voters in a village?

  1. Gram Sabha Correct answer.
  2. Gram Panchayat
  3. Zila Parishad
  4. Panchayat Samiti

Explanation

The Gram Sabha consists of all persons registered as voters in the electoral rolls of a village. It is the foundational deliberative body, while the Gram Panchayat is its elected executive.

Question 27General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following is a compulsory provision of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment that all states must implement?

  1. Establishment of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system Correct answer.
  2. Constitution of a State Finance Commission every five years
  3. Granting financial powers to Panchayats
  4. Reservation of seats for women in Panchayats

Explanation

The 73rd Amendment mandates a three-tier structure for states with a population exceeding twenty lakh. Other provisions like women's reservation and State Finance Commission are also mandatory, but the three-tier structure is the foundational compulsory requirement.

Question 28General Knowledge / General Studies

Under the 73rd Amendment, what is the minimum age required to contest a Panchayat election?

  1. 25 years
  2. 30 years
  3. 18 years
  4. 21 years Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 243F of the Constitution states that a person must have attained the age of 21 years to be qualified for membership in a Panchayat. This is lower than the minimum age of 25 for state legislatures.

Question 29General Knowledge / General Studies

Which Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the subjects that may be devolved to Panchayats?

  1. Seventh Schedule
  2. Twelfth Schedule
  3. Eleventh Schedule Correct answer.
  4. Tenth Schedule

Explanation

The Eleventh Schedule, added by the 73rd Amendment, contains 29 functional items for Panchayats. The Twelfth Schedule deals with municipal functions.

Question 30General Knowledge / General Studies

Which article of the Constitution mandates the establishment of a State Finance Commission to review the financial position of Panchayats?

  1. Article 243G
  2. Article 243I Correct answer.
  3. Article 243H
  4. Article 243J

Explanation

Article 243I requires the Governor to constitute a State Finance Commission every five years. It recommends principles for distributing taxes and grants-in-aid to Panchayats.

Question 31General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following is a function listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution?

  1. Agriculture, including agricultural extension Correct answer.
  2. Police and public order
  3. Atomic energy
  4. Railways

Explanation

The Eleventh Schedule includes agriculture and agricultural extension as one of the 29 subjects for Panchayats. Police, atomic energy, and railways are Union or State subjects.

Question 32General Knowledge / General Studies

What is the normal duration of a Panchayat constituted under the 73rd Amendment?

  1. Four years
  2. Six years
  3. Three years
  4. Five years Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 243E provides that every Panchayat shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. It can be dissolved earlier, but elections must be held before the expiry of six months.

Question 33General Knowledge / General Studies

In which year was the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee constituted, and what was its main purpose?

  1. 1957, to examine the working of the Community Development Programme and recommend a Panchayati Raj system Correct answer.
  2. 1965, to study the functioning of Panchayat Samitis
  3. 1977, to recommend a two-tier Panchayati Raj system
  4. 1959, to recommend reservation for women in Panchayats

Explanation

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee was appointed in 1957 to evaluate the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service. It recommended a three-tier Panchayati Raj system, which led to the Rajasthan Panchayat Act of 1959.

Question 34General Knowledge / General Studies

Which article of the Constitution requires the State Election Commission to be constituted for conducting Panchayat elections?

  1. Article 243K Correct answer.
  2. Article 243L
  3. Article 243M
  4. Article 243N

Explanation

Article 243K provides for the superintendence, direction, and control of Panchayat elections to be vested in a State Election Commission. It is appointed by the Governor.

Question 35General Knowledge / General Studies

In a village with a population of 4,000, how many seats in the Gram Panchayat must be reserved for women under the 73rd Amendment?

  1. At least one-third of the total seats Correct answer.
  2. At least two-thirds of the total seats
  3. At least one-half of the total seats
  4. At least one-fourth of the total seats

Explanation

Article 243D requires that not less than one-third of the total number of seats in a Panchayat be reserved for women. Some states have increased this to one-half, but the constitutional minimum is one-third.

Question 36General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following best describes the constitutional status of the recommendations of the State Finance Commission regarding Panchayat finances?

  1. They require approval by the President
  2. They are advisory in nature Correct answer.
  3. They are enforceable by the Supreme Court
  4. They are binding on the state government

Explanation

The recommendations of the State Finance Commission are advisory; the state government is not constitutionally bound to accept them. However, the commission's report must be laid before the state legislature along with an explanatory memorandum.

Question 37General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following subjects is included in the Eleventh Schedule for Panchayat functions?

  1. Currency and coinage
  2. Defence
  3. Public distribution system Correct answer.
  4. Foreign affairs

Explanation

The Eleventh Schedule lists the public distribution system as one of the 29 subjects that may be devolved to Panchayats. Defence, foreign affairs, and currency are Union subjects.

Question 38General Knowledge / General Studies

Which committee recommended a three-tier Panchayati Raj structure of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad, a model adopted after 1959?

  1. Balwant Rai Mehta Committee Correct answer.
  2. G.V.K. Rao Committee
  3. Ashok Mehta Committee
  4. L.M. Singhvi Committee

Explanation

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) examined the Community Development Programme and recommended democratic decentralisation through a three-tier structure: Gram Panchayat at village level, Panchayat Samiti at block level and Zila Parishad at district level. This became the template for the Panchayati Raj system launched in Rajasthan in 1959.

Question 39General Knowledge / General Studies

Which Article of the Constitution provides for the constitution of Panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels?

  1. Article 243
  2. Article 40
  3. Article 243B Correct answer.
  4. Article 243G

Explanation

Article 243B, inserted by the 73rd Amendment, directs that Panchayats be constituted at the village, intermediate and district levels, with the intermediate level optional for states with population below twenty lakh. Article 40 is only a Directive Principle, and Articles 243 and 243G deal with definitions and powers respectively.

Question 40General Knowledge / General Studies

A State dissolves a Panchayat before the end of its term. Under the 73rd Amendment, what must the State do next?

  1. Allow the previous office-bearers to continue till the original term ends
  2. Hold fresh elections before the expiry of six months from the date of dissolution Correct answer.
  3. Refer the dissolution to the State Election Commission for approval
  4. Hold fresh elections within one year of dissolution

Explanation

The proviso to Article 243E(3) requires that a Panchayat dissolved before the expiry of its term be reconstituted by holding elections before the expiration of six months from the date of dissolution. If the remainder of the term is less than six months, elections need not be held for that period.

Question 41General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following is a function of the State Election Commission under Article 243K?

  1. Conducting elections to the State Legislative Assembly
  2. Recommending reservation of seats for backward classes
  3. Auditing the accounts of Panchayats
  4. Superintendence, direction and control of Panchayat elections Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 243K vests the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of all elections to Panchayats in the State Election Commission. The same body may also be given charge of municipal elections under Article 243ZA.

Question 42General Knowledge / General Studies

A State legislature wants to reserve Panchayat seats for backward classes. Under the 73rd Amendment, what does the Constitution permit?

  1. Reservation is allowed only in the district-level Panchayat
  2. Reservation for backward classes is expressly prohibited
  3. Reservation is mandatory for every State without legislative action
  4. Reservation may be provided by the State legislature for backward classes Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 243D(6) allows the legislature of a State to make provision for reservation of seats in any Panchayat in favour of backward classes. Unlike the mandatory reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women, this one requires enabling State legislation.

Question 43General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following is a compulsory provision of the 73rd Amendment that all States must implement?

  1. Creating a separate cadre of Panchayat officers
  2. Reserving one-third of total seats for women Correct answer.
  3. Appointing a District Development Commissioner
  4. Setting up a district planning committee

Explanation

Article 243D(3) mandates that not less than one-third of the total number of seats filled by direct election in every Panchayat be reserved for women. Many other arrangements in Part IX are left to State legislatures, but the one-third reservation for women is a constitutional minimum.

Question 44General Knowledge / General Studies

What is the term of a Panchayat constituted under Part IX of the Constitution, unless dissolved earlier?

  1. Five years from the date of the election notification
  2. Four years from the date of its first meeting
  3. Six years from the date of its first meeting
  4. Five years from the date of its first meeting Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 243E provides that every Panchayat shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer, unless dissolved earlier under the applicable provision. Elections must be completed before the expiry of that five-year term.

Question 45General Knowledge / General Studies

Which Schedule of the Constitution was inserted by the 73rd Amendment to list subjects that may be devolved to Panchayats?

  1. Tenth Schedule
  2. Eleventh Schedule Correct answer.
  3. Twelfth Schedule
  4. Ninth Schedule

Explanation

The Eleventh Schedule, added by the 73rd Amendment, lists 29 subjects such as agriculture, rural housing, drinking water and poverty alleviation programmes that State legislatures may devolve to Panchayats under Article 243G. The Twelfth Schedule performs the same function for municipalities.

Question 46General Knowledge / General Studies

Which of the following subjects appears in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution?

  1. Currency and coinage
  2. Drinking water Correct answer.
  3. Regulation of mines and minerals
  4. Police and public order

Explanation

Drinking water is entry 11 in the Eleventh Schedule, one of the 29 subjects that may be entrusted to Panchayats. Police, public order, mines regulation and currency are Union or State List matters outside the Eleventh Schedule.

Question 47General Knowledge / General Studies

Under the 73rd Amendment, which body is the constitutional assembly of all registered voters of a village?

  1. Gram Sabha Correct answer.
  2. Panchayat Samiti
  3. Zila Parishad
  4. Gram Panchayat

Explanation

Article 243(b) defines the Gram Sabha as a body consisting of all persons registered in the electoral rolls of a village comprised within a Panchayat area at the village level. It is a deliberative body of voters, distinct from the elected Gram Panchayat.

Question 48General Knowledge / General Studies

A State has a population of 15 lakh. Under Article 243B, what is the position regarding the intermediate tier of Panchayats?

  1. The intermediate tier is constituted only in Scheduled Areas
  2. The intermediate tier is constitutionally prohibited in all States
  3. The intermediate tier must be constituted in every State without exception
  4. The intermediate tier need not be constituted in a State with population not exceeding twenty lakh Correct answer.

Explanation

The proviso to Article 243B(1) allows a State with a population not exceeding twenty lakh to omit the intermediate level. A State with 15 lakh population therefore may choose not to constitute Panchayat Samitis, though it may still do so.

Question 49General Knowledge / General Studies

Which Article requires every State to constitute a Finance Commission to review the financial position of Panchayats?

  1. Article 243J
  2. Article 243H
  3. Article 243I Correct answer.
  4. Article 243K

Explanation

Article 243I requires the Governor to constitute a Finance Commission every five years to review the financial position of Panchayats and recommend principles for distributing taxes and grants-in-aid. Article 243H deals with the power of Panchayats to levy taxes and the funds they receive.

Question 50General Knowledge / General Studies

The 73rd Amendment does not apply to certain areas unless Parliament legislates. Which of the following is such an area?

  1. Areas within a metropolitan municipal corporation
  2. Hill areas of a State with a Governor
  3. Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule Correct answer.
  4. Union Territories with a legislature

Explanation

Article 243M excludes Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas referred to in the Fifth and Sixth Schedules from Part IX, unless Parliament by law extends it. Parliament later enacted the PESA Act, 1996 to extend Panchayat provisions to Fifth Schedule Areas with modifications.