All Amendments of the Indian Constitution at a glance

73. The Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1993—Article 40 of the Constitution which
enshrines one of the Directive Principles of State Policy lays down that the State shall take steps to
organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to
enable them to function as units of self-government.

In the light of the above, a new Part IX relating to the Panchayats has been inserted in the
Constitution to provide for among other things, Gram Sabha in a village or group of villages;
constitution of Panchayats at village and other level or levels; direct elections to all seats in
Panchayats at the village and intermediate level, if any and to the offices of Chairpersons of
Panchayats at such levels; reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in
proportion to their population for membership of Panchayats and office of Chairpersons in Panchayats
at each level; reservation of not less than one-third of the seats for women; fixing tenure of five years
for Panchayats and holding elections within a period of six months in the event of supersession of any
Panchayat.