Previous Year Question
Which of the following statements is not true regarding ‘Gram Sabha’?
It has the powers and functions at the village level, like State Legislature has at the State level.
Its powers are determined by the Central Government.
It is a Village Assembly consisting of all registered voters in the area of Panchayat.
(a) and (c) both
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Under Article 243A, a Gram Sabha may exercise such powers and perform such functions at the village level as the Legislature of a State may, by law, provide. Thus, the legal basis of the powers and functions of a Gram Sabha is legislation enacted by the State Legislature, not the Central Government.
Statement (c) is correct. Under Article 243(b), a Gram Sabha is a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of a Panchayat at the village level. Therefore, merely residing in a village is not sufficient; registration in the electoral roll is required.
Statement (a) is treated as correct in the framing of this Question. However, an important constitutional nuance should be understood—the Constitution does not literally state that the Gram Sabha possesses powers “equal” to those of the State Legislature. The precise constitutional position is that the State Legislature provides powers and functions to the Gram Sabha by law. This is the correct way to understand Article 243A while answering the Question.
Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat are distinct institutions. The Gram Sabha is the wider body of registered voters, whereas the Gram Panchayat is an elected institution of local self-government. The Gram Sabha provides the foundation for direct public participation at the grassroots level.
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment gave the Gram Sabha explicit constitutional recognition under Part IX, providing a constitutional basis for direct participation of people in village-level governance.