Village, block and district: the three panchayat levels the Government notifies in Kerala

Background

The Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 was enacted after the Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992, to secure a greater measure of participation by people in planned development and in local government. Chapter III of the Act deals with the constitution of panchayats at different levels. Under Section 4 the Government, by notification in the Gazette, constitutes a village panchayat for each village or group of villages, a block panchayat at the intermediate level and a district panchayat for each district panchayat area, and specifies their names and headquarters. The same section lets the Government enlarge or reduce the area of a village panchayat, or alter a panchayat's name or headquarters, after consulting it and publishing the proposal in advance. An alteration of area cannot be brought into force before the term of the existing committee of that panchayat expires. Section 5 makes every panchayat a body corporate by the name specified for it. The Act covers the whole of Kerala except cantonments, nagar panchayats, municipal councils, municipal corporations and notified industrial townships. Panchayats are to prepare plans and carry out schemes for economic development and social justice, including on the subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution. The Kumily grama panchayat in Idukki, a transit point on the route to Sabarimala, is setting up three parking grounds and rest centres for pilgrims.