Correct option is C
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, introduced provisions for the establishment and empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in India. A key feature of this amendment was the reservation of 1/3 (one-third) of the seats for women in all panchayats at all levels (village, intermediate, and district levels). This reservation applies to both the elected members and the chairperson positions.
Key Provisions of the 73rd Amendment:
1. Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) were given constitutional status.
2. It added the Eleventh Schedule, which contains 29 functional items to be decentralized to Panchayats.
3. The amendment introduced a three-tier system of Panchayati Raj for states with a population of over 20 lakh. The three tiers are:
- Gram Panchayat (village level)
- Panchayat Samiti (intermediate level, block level)
- Zila Parishad (district level)
4. State Finance Commission is tasked with recommending how funds should be distributed between the State Government and the Panchayats.
5. A State Election Commission is established under the amendment, responsible for supervising, directing, and conducting all elections to the Panchayats.
6. Article 243D was introduced, mandating the reservation of:
- 1/3rd of the total seats for women, including the positions of chairpersons in panchayats.
- It aimed to ensure women's participation in grassroots-level governance and decision-making, promoting gender equality in local governance.
- The Act provides for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in proportion to their population in the Panchayat areas.
