Q. Consider the following statements:
- Panchayats at the intermediate level exist in all States.
- To be eligible to be a Member of a Panchayat at the intermediate level, a person should attain the age of thirty years.
- The Chief Minister of a State constitutes a commission to review the financial position of Panchayats at the intermediate levels and to make recommendations regarding the distribution of net proceeds of taxes and duties, leviable by the State, between the State and Panchayats at the intermediate level.
Which of the statements given above are not correct? (UPSC Prelims 2025)
Answer:
I, II and III
Notes: The correct answer is
[D] I, II and III. All three statements provided are incorrect according to the provisions of the
73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, which added Part IX and the 11th Schedule to the Constitution.
- Statement I (Incorrect): While the Act provides for a three-tier system (Village, Intermediate, and District levels), there is an exception. Panchayats at the intermediate level may not be constituted in a State having a population not exceeding 20 lakhs. Therefore, they do not exist in "all" States (e.g., small states like Sikkim or Goa may opt out).
- Statement II (Incorrect): According to Article 243F, the minimum age for a person to be eligible for election as a member of a Panchayat (at any level) is 21 years, not thirty years. This is lower than the age required for the State Legislative Assembly (25 years).
- Statement III (Incorrect): Under Article 243-I, it is the Governor of the State, not the Chief Minister, who constitutes a Finance Commission every five years to review the financial position of the Panchayats and make recommendations regarding the distribution of taxes and grants-in-aid.
Historically, the 73rd Amendment aimed to provide constitutional status to local self-government, ensuring regular elections and financial devolution through these specific institutional mechanisms.