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🇮🇳 SUPREME LAW OF INDIA • ENFORCEABLE SINCE 26 JAN 1950

The Constitution of India: Sovereign Archive

Explore all 395+ articles across all 25 parts and 12 schedules of the world’s longest written constitution. Complete with plain-language explanations, Constituent Assembly debates, and landmark Supreme Court rulings.

395+
Articles
25
Thematic Parts
12
Schedules
106
Amendments
📜 Preamble “WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC...”
“WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation; IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.”
Page 1 • Plain Meaning Edition
Article 243
Part IX

Definitions

Article 243 ('Definitions') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires, — (a) “district” means a district in a State; (b) “Gram Sabha” means a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within...

Article 243A
Part IX

Gram Sabha

Article 243A ('Gram Sabha') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: 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.

Article 243B
Part IX

Constitution of Panchayats

Article 243B ('Constitution of Panchayats') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: (1) There shall be constituted in every State, Panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels in accordance with the provisions of this Part. (2) Notwithstanding anything in clause (1), Panchayats at the intermediate level...

Article 243C
Part IX

Composition of Panchayats

Article 243C ('Composition of Panchayats') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: (1) Subject to the provisions of this Part, the Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions with respect to the composition of Panchayats: Provided that the ratio between the population of the territorial area of a Panchayat...

Article 243D
Part IX

Reservation of seats

Article 243D ('Reservation of seats') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: (1) Seats shall be reserved for — (a) the Scheduled Castes; and (b) the Scheduled Tribes, in every Panchayat and the number of seats so reserved shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to...

Article 243E
Part IX

Duration of Panchayats, etc

Article 243E ('Duration of Panchayats, etc') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: (1) Every Panchayat, unless sooner dissolved under any law for the time being in force, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer. (2) No amendment of any law for the time being in force...

Article 243F
Part IX

Disqualifications for membership

Article 243F ('Disqualifications for membership') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: (1) A person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member of a Panchayat — (a) if he is so disqualified by or under any law for the time being in force for the purposes of elections to the Legislature of the State...

Article 243G
Part IX

Powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats

Article 243G ('Powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Legislature of a State may, by law, endow the Panchayats with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as institutions of self-government and such law may...

Article 243H
Part IX

Powers to impose taxes by, and Funds of, the Panchayats

Article 243H ('Powers to impose taxes by, and Funds of, the Panchayats') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: The Legislature of a State may, by law, — (a) authorise a Panchayat to levy, collect and appropriate such taxes, duties, tolls and fees in accordance with such procedure and subject to such limits; (b) assign to a Panchayat such...

Article 243I
Part IX

Constitution of Finance Commission to review financial position

Article 243I ('Constitution of Finance Commission to review financial position') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: (1) The Governor of a State shall, as soon as may be within one year from the commencement of the Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992, and thereafter at the expiration of every fifth year, constitute a Finance Commission to...

Article 243J
Part IX

Audit of accounts of Panchayats

Article 243J ('Audit of accounts of Panchayats') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: The Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions with respect to the maintenance of accounts by the Panchayats and the auditing of such accounts.

Article 243K
Part IX

Elections to the Panchayats

Article 243K ('Elections to the Panchayats') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: (1) The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the Panchayats shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election Commissioner to be...

Article 243L
Part IX

Application to Union territories

Article 243L ('Application to Union territories') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: The provisions of this Part shall apply to the Union territories and shall, in their application to a Union territory, have effect as if the references to the Governor of a State were references to the Administrator of the Union territory...

Article 243M
Part IX

Part not to apply to certain areas

Article 243M ('Part not to apply to certain areas') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: (1) Nothing in this Part shall apply to the Scheduled Areas referred to in clause (1), and the tribal areas referred to in clause (2), of article 244. (2) Nothing in this Part shall apply to — (a) the States of Nagaland, Meghalaya...

Article 243N
Part IX

Continuance of existing laws and Panchayats

Article 243N ('Continuance of existing laws and Panchayats') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: Notwithstanding anything in this Part, any provision of any law relating to Panchayats in force in a State immediately before the commencement of the Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992, which is inconsistent with the...

Article 243O
Part IX

Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters

Article 243O ('Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters') in Part IX (The Panchayats, inserted by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992) codifies grassroots rural democracy. Specifically, this provision governs: Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, — (a) the validity of any law relating to the delimitation of constituencies or the allotment of seats to such constituencies, made or purporting to be made under article 243K, shall not...

Part IX (16 Articles)
Public Domain & Statutory Authenticity Notice

Under Section 52(1)(q) of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Constitution of India, Bare Acts of Parliament, Gazette Notifications, and Judicial Judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts are in the Public Domain. Text is reproduced from the official Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India (India Code) archives.

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