If the State government dissolves the Panchayati Raj Institutions before the end of their five-year term, fresh elections should ordinarily be held within _____.

The correct answer is Six months

Key Points:

• If a Panchayat is dissolved, elections are to be held within six months from the date of dissolution.
• The term Panchayati Raj in India signifies the system of rural local self-government.
• It had been established after the advice of the Balwant Rai Mehta committee, which is established by the Govt. of India in 1957.
• This committee has three-tier panchayat governance such as Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zila Parishad.
• As a result of this scheme the first Panchayat system was introduced in Rajasthan in 1959.
• This system observed a lack of people participation.
• To overcome this failure a new committee named Ashok Mehta Committee gives a two-tier governance plan in 1977.
• The two-tier plan was Zila Parishad and Mandal Panchayat.
• This Panchayati Raj faced a major constitutional amendment in 1992 that brings back the three-tier system again.
• This amendment added a new part to the Constitution, namely, added Part IX titled The Panchayats.
• This amendment adds a Three-tier system of panchayats at the village, intermediate Mandal, and district levels except in States with a population is below 20 lakhs (Article 243B)
• The Panchayat is constituted under Article 243 to 243 (O)

Additional Information:Duration of Panchayati Raj

• The Act provides for a five-year term of office to all the levels of the panchayat.
• However, the panchayat can be dissolved before the completion of its term.
• But fresh elections to constitute the new panchayat should be completed before the expiry of its five-year duration.
• In case of dissolution, the election should be within a period of six months from the date of its dissolution.