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Quick recap: State and local government on one page

मराठीत स्पष्टीकरण

State and local government · Quick recap · Fact-checked on · how we check

Written with AI from the sources listed at the bottom of this page, then fact-checked by a separate AI.

All three parts condensed for quick revision: the Governor, Chief Minister and State legislature; panchayats and PESA; municipalities, Union Territories, Delhi and the special provisions, with a one-table overview and eight mixed questions.

Each idea is explained first in Marathi (मराठी), ending with the English and Hindi exam terms, followed by the same point in exam English. UPSC Prelims is in English or Hindi, so understand it in Marathi and revise it in English.

भाग VI प्रत्येक राज्याला संसदीय व्यवस्था देतो. राज्यपाल नामधारी प्रमुख — राष्ट्रपती अधिपत्राने नेमतात (155), किमान 35 वर्षांचा नागरिक; एकच व्यक्ती दोन-तीन राज्यांची राज्यपाल असू शकते (7 वी घटनादुरुस्ती 1956). राष्ट्रपतींची मर्जी असेपर्यंत, पाच वर्षे (156); महाभियोग नाही, पण बी.पी. सिंघल (2010) मनमानी हकालपट्टी रोखतो. अधिकार: मुख्यमंत्र्यांची नेमणूक, विधानसभा बोलावणे-विसर्जित करणे (174), अध्यादेश (213), राज्य कायद्याविरुद्ध गुन्ह्यांसाठी क्षमा (161). विधेयकावर संमती, रोखणे, धन विधेयक नसलेले परत पाठवणे, राष्ट्रपतींसाठी राखून ठेवणे — उच्च न्यायालयाला धोका असेल तर राखून ठेवणे बंधनकारक (200). घरातल्या ज्येष्ठांच्या नावाने कामे होतात पण निर्णय कुटुंब घेते तसे. (→ English: Governor · हिन्दी: राज्यपाल)

In exam EnglishPart VI gives every State a parliamentary system. The Governor is the formal head, appointed by the President by warrant (Article 155), a citizen of at least 35, and one person may serve two or more States (7th Amendment, 1956). The Governor holds office during the President's pleasure for a five-year term (Article 156), with no impeachment, though B.P. Singhal (2010) bars arbitrary removal. Powers include appointing the Chief Minister, summoning and dissolving the Assembly (Article 174), ordinances (Article 213) and pardons for offences against State law (Article 161). On a bill the Governor may assent, withhold, return a non-Money Bill or reserve it for the President, and must reserve one that endangers the High Court (Article 200).
State and local government at a glance
LevelKey ArticlesKey points
Governor153–162, 200, 213Appointed by the President; pleasure tenure; ordinances, pardons, bills
Chief Minister and council163–167Responsible to the Assembly; 15 per cent cap, minimum 12
State legislature168–212Councils in six States (Article 169); Council only delays bills
Panchayats243–243O73rd Amendment; Gram Sabha; three tiers; Eleventh Schedule (29)
Municipalities243P–243ZG74th Amendment; three types; Twelfth Schedule (18)
Union Territories and Delhi239–241, 239AARun through administrators; Delhi Assembly without police, public order, land
Special provisions371–371JDevelopment boards, tribal customary law, local reservation

खरी सत्ता मुख्यमंत्री आणि मंत्रिपरिषदेकडे — विधानसभेला सामूहिक जबाबदार (164). 91 वी घटनादुरुस्ती: विधानसभेच्या 15 टक्क्यांपेक्षा जास्त नाही, किमान 12; 94 वी घटनादुरुस्ती (2006): छत्तीसगड, झारखंड, मध्य प्रदेश, ओडिशात आदिवासी कल्याण मंत्री बंधनकारक. 163 खालील विवेकाधिकार शमशेर सिंग (1974) आणि नबाम रेबिया (2016) यांनी मर्यादित ठेवला. सहा राज्यांत विधान परिषद — विधानसभेच्या विशेष बहुमताच्या ठरावानंतर संसदेच्या कायद्याने निर्मिती किंवा रद्द (169); आपल्या महाराष्ट्रातही विधान परिषद आहे. परिषद विधानसभेच्या एक-तृतीयांशपेक्षा मोठी नाही, किमान 40; साधे विधेयक सुमारे चार महिने, धन विधेयक 14 दिवस रोखू शकते; संयुक्त बैठक नाही. (→ English: Legislative Council · हिन्दी: विधान परिषद्)

In exam EnglishReal power lies with the Chief Minister and the council of ministers, collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly (Article 164). The 91st Amendment caps the council at 15 per cent of the Assembly, with a minimum of 12, and the 94th Amendment (2006) requires a tribal welfare minister in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Discretion under Article 163 is kept narrow by Shamsher Singh (1974) and Nabam Rebia (2016). Six States have a Legislative Council, created or abolished by a law of Parliament after a special-majority resolution of the Assembly (Article 169). The Council is at most one-third of the Assembly, at least 40, can delay an ordinary bill for about four months and a Money Bill for 14 days, and has no joint sitting to fall back on.

पंचायतींची मागणी कलम 40 मध्ये; मार्ग — बलवंतराय मेहता (1957, तीन स्तर), 2 ऑक्टोबर 1959 नागौरमध्ये राजस्थानची सुरुवात, अशोक मेहता (1978, दोन स्तर), जी.व्ही.के. राव (1985), एल.एम. सिंघवी (1986), 1989 मध्ये पडलेले 64 वे घटनादुरुस्ती विधेयक. 73 वी घटनादुरुस्ती (1992, अंमल 24 एप्रिल 1993): भाग IX, 29 विषयांची अकरावी अनुसूची. साचा: गावातील सर्व मतदारांची ग्रामसभा (243A); तीन स्तर, 20 लाखांखालील लोकसंख्येत मधला स्तर ऐच्छिक (243B); दर पाच वर्षांनी थेट निवडणूक; अनुसूचित जाती-जमातींच्या जागा, महिलांना किमान एक-तृतीयांश; किमान वय 21. पारावर सगळे गावकरी जमतात तशीच ग्रामसभा. (→ English: Gram Sabha · हिन्दी: ग्राम सभा)

In exam EnglishPanchayats were asked for in Article 40, but the road ran through the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957, three tiers), Rajasthan's start at Nagaur on 2 October 1959, the Ashok Mehta Committee (1978, two tiers), the G.V.K. Rao (1985) and L.M. Singhvi (1986) Committees, and the 64th Amendment Bill that failed in 1989. The 73rd Amendment (1992, in force 24 April 1993) added Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule of 29 matters. Its frame: a Gram Sabha of all village voters (Article 243A); three tiers, the middle one optional below 20 lakh population (Article 243B); direct elections every five years; reserved seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and at least one-third for women; and a minimum age of 21.

राज्य निवडणूक आयोग पंचायत आणि नगरपालिका निवडणुका घेतो; आयुक्तांची नेमणूक राज्यपाल करतात पण हटवणे उच्च न्यायालयाच्या न्यायाधीशाप्रमाणेच (243K). राज्य वित्त आयोग दर पाच वर्षांनी स्थानिक वित्त तपासतो (243I); खरे अधिकार आणि पैसा राज्य कायद्यातून. भाग IX अनुसूचित व आदिवासी क्षेत्रांना आणि नागालँड, मेघालय, मिझोरमला आपोआप लागू नाही (243M); पेसा 1996 दहा राज्यांतील पाचव्या अनुसूचीतील क्षेत्रांपर्यंत विस्तार — ग्रामसभेला भक्कम अधिकार, अनुसूचित जमातींना किमान निम्म्या जागा व सर्व अध्यक्षपदे. कृष्ण मूर्ती (2010): अध्यक्षपद आरक्षण वैध; विकास किशनराव गवळी (2021): मागासवर्गीय जागांपूर्वी तिहेरी चाचणी. खेळाडूंनाच पंच बदलता येत नाही तशी आयोगाची सुरक्षा. (→ English: State Election Commission · हिन्दी: राज्य निर्वाचन आयोग)

In exam EnglishThe State Election Commission runs panchayat and municipal elections; its head is appointed by the Governor but removable only like a High Court judge (Article 243K). The State Finance Commission reviews local finances every five years (Article 243I), and the real powers and money come from State law. Part IX does not apply on its own to Scheduled and tribal areas or to Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram (Article 243M); PESA, 1996 extends it to the Fifth Schedule areas of ten States, with strong Gram Sabha powers and at least half the seats and all chairpersons' posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Krishna Murthy (2010) upheld reservation of chairpersons' posts, and Vikas Kishanrao Gawali (2021) required a triple test before reserving seats for backward classes.

शहरांनाही तोच साचा 74 व्या घटनादुरुस्तीने (1992, अंमल 1 जून 1993): भाग IXA, 18 विषयांची बारावी अनुसूची. 243Q तीन प्रकारची नगरपालिका: ग्रामीणातून शहरी होणाऱ्या भागासाठी नगर पंचायत, नगरपरिषद, महानगरपालिका; औद्योगिक नगरीला गरज नसू शकते. तीन लाख किंवा अधिक लोकसंख्येत प्रभाग समित्या बंधनकारक. प्रत्येक जिल्ह्यात जिल्हा नियोजन समिती (किमान चार-पंचमांश निवडून आलेले) ग्रामीण-शहरी आराखडे जोडते; दहा लाख किंवा अधिकच्या क्षेत्रांसाठी महानगर नियोजन समिती (किमान दोन-तृतीयांश). सहकारी संस्थांचा भाग IXB (97 वी घटनादुरुस्ती 2011) राजेंद्र एन. शाह (2021) नंतर फक्त बहुराज्य संस्थांना. गावाला सरपंच तसा शहराला महापौर, नगरसेवक. (→ English: municipality · हिन्दी: नगरपालिका)

In exam EnglishTowns got the same frame through the 74th Amendment (1992, in force 1 June 1993): Part IXA and the Twelfth Schedule of 18 matters. Article 243Q names three types of municipality: the Nagar Panchayat for an area in transition from rural to urban, the Municipal Council and the Municipal Corporation; an industrial township may be left without one. Ward committees are required where the population is three lakh or more. A District Planning Committee in every district (at least four-fifths elected) joins rural and urban plans, and a Metropolitan Planning Committee (at least two-thirds elected) serves areas of ten lakh or more. Part IXB on co-operatives (97th Amendment, 2011) now applies only to multi-State societies after Rajendra N. Shah (2021).

आठ केंद्रशासित प्रदेश — राष्ट्रपती प्रशासकामार्फत चालवतात (239–241); प्रशासक असलेले शेजारचे राज्यपाल आपल्या मंत्र्यांच्या सल्ल्याविना वागतात; कोणत्याही विषयावर संसद कायदा करू शकते. पुदुच्चेरी (239A), जम्मू-काश्मीर (2019 चा कायदा) यांना विधिमंडळे; बेटांच्या प्रदेशांसाठी 240 खाली राष्ट्रपतींचे विनियम. दिल्ली (239AA, 69 वी घटनादुरुस्ती 1991): सार्वजनिक सुव्यवस्था, पोलीस, जमीन यांवर विधानसभा कायदा करू शकत नाही; मंत्रिपरिषद दहा टक्क्यांपर्यंत; 2018 व 2023 च्या निकालांनी त्या विषयांबाहेर नायब राज्यपालांना सल्ल्याने बांधले. 371–371J काही राज्यांत प्रदेश व आदिवासी चालीरीतींचे संरक्षण करतात; 370 रद्द करणे (2019) सर्वोच्च न्यायालयाने डिसेंबर 2023 मध्ये वैध ठरवले. (→ English: Union Territory · हिन्दी: संघ राज्यक्षेत्र)

In exam EnglishEight areas are a Union Territory, run by the President through an administrator (Articles 239–241); a neighbouring Governor serving as administrator acts independently of his own ministers, and Parliament may legislate for them on any subject. Puducherry (Article 239A) and Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation Act, 2019) have legislatures; for the island territories the President makes regulations under Article 240. Delhi (Article 239AA, 69th Amendment, 1991) has an Assembly that cannot legislate on public order, police or land, and a council of ministers capped at ten per cent; the NCT cases of 2018 and 2023 bound the Lieutenant Governor to ministerial advice outside those subjects. Articles 371–371J protect regions and tribal customs in particular States, and the Supreme Court upheld the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 in December 2023.

Exam traps

Recap

Practice questions

Q1. Before whom does the Governor of a State take the oath of office?

  1. The President
  2. The Chief Justice of India
  3. The Chief Justice of the State's High Court
  4. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
Show answer

Answer: C. The Chief Justice of the State's High Court

Under Article 159 the oath is taken before the Chief Justice of the High Court. The President appoints the Governor but does not administer the oath; the Chief Justice of India administers the President's oath; the Speaker has no role here.

Q2. Consider the following statements:
1. A Legislative Council can be abolished only by an amendment under Article 368.
2. There is no provision for a joint sitting of the two Houses of a State legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer

Answer: B. 2 only

Statement 1 is wrong: Article 169 lets Parliament abolish a Council by ordinary law after the Assembly's resolution, and such a law is not an Article 368 amendment. Statement 2 is correct. So '1 only' and 'Both' are wrong, and 'Neither' ignores statement 2.

Q3. The 94th Amendment requires a minister in charge of tribal welfare in which of the following States?

  1. Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh
  2. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha
  3. Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram
  4. Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Odisha
Show answer

Answer: B. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha

Article 164(1), as amended in 2006, names Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Bihar was removed from the list, so the first option is wrong; the other two lists name States the proviso does not cover.

Q4. Under Article 243B, the intermediate level of panchayats need not be constituted in a State whose population does not exceed:

  1. 10 lakh
  2. 20 lakh
  3. 30 lakh
  4. 50 lakh
Show answer

Answer: B. 20 lakh

The figure is 20 lakh. Ten lakh is the threshold for a metropolitan area under Part IXA, and 30 lakh and 50 lakh appear nowhere in Part IX.

Q5. Consider the following statements about the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996:
1. It extends Part IX to the Sixth Schedule areas of the North-East.
2. It reserves the posts of chairpersons of panchayats in Scheduled Areas for Scheduled Tribes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer

Answer: B. 2 only

Statement 1 is wrong: PESA covers Fifth Schedule areas in ten States, not Sixth Schedule areas. Statement 2 is correct. So '1 only' and 'Both' are wrong, and 'Neither' ignores statement 2.

Q6. Match List I with List II:
List I
A. Eleventh Schedule
B. Twelfth Schedule
C. Article 243K
D. Article 243ZE
List II
1. Metropolitan Planning Committee
2. 18 matters for municipalities
3. State Election Commission
4. 29 matters for panchayats
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1
  2. A-2, B-4, C-3, D-1
  3. A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3
  4. A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
Show answer

Answer: A. A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1

Eleventh Schedule has 29 panchayat matters, the Twelfth 18 municipal matters, Article 243K the State Election Commission and Article 243ZE the Metropolitan Planning Committee. The second option swaps the two Schedules, the third swaps 243K and 243ZE, and the fourth matches nothing.

Q7. The Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi cannot make laws on which of the following?

  1. Public health and sanitation
  2. Police
  3. Education
  4. Agriculture
Show answer

Answer: B. Police

Article 239AA keeps public order, police and land with the Union. Public health, education and agriculture are within the Assembly's reach, so those options are wrong.

Q8. Which one of the following Articles contains special provisions for Nagaland that protect Naga customary law and ownership of land?

  1. Article 370
  2. Article 371A
  3. Article 371G
  4. Article 371J
Show answer

Answer: B. Article 371A

Article 371A is for Nagaland. Article 370 concerned Jammu and Kashmir, Article 371G gives a similar shield to Mizoram, and Article 371J deals with the Hyderabad-Karnataka region of Karnataka.

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