Panchayats in Kerala

Panchayati Raj in Kerala works on the basis of the three- tier system and comprises of the Grama Panchayats, Block Panchayats and District Panchayats.

In Kerala, there are 991 Grama Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats and 14 District Panchayats.

In an evaluation done by the Union Panchayati Raj Ministry in 20004-05, Kerala was adjudged as the best state for the implementation of the Panchayati Raj in the country.

On the basis of 73rd and 74th amendments acts of the Constitution, The Panchayat Raj and the Municipality Act came into effect on the 23rd of April and 30th of May 1994 respectively. This led to the decentralization of powers, responsibilities and projects of the Government as they were transferred to the local self-government on 2nd October, 1995.

The provisions for Gram Sabha in a single village or a cluster of village were made by the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act of 1994. It laid the provision of a three tier system of Panchayat for the first time in the village, block and district level. Panchayats were vested with the powers and responsibilities of the economic development and social justice of the state. The Panchyats were also responsible for the implementation of developmental schemes and setting up of a Finance Commission for reviewing the financial status of the Panchayats.

Besides this, the appointment of a State Election Commission for the direction, superintendence and conduction of elections to various levels of Panchayats was also provided by the Act.