Key Points
Part IX → Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)
Inserted by → 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992
Articles → 243–243O
Structure → 3-tier (Village + Intermediate + District)
Objective → Democratic decentralization
Nagaland
No Panchayati Raj system
Reason → Article 371A protection
Village governance → Customary tribal councils
Other States
Assam → Has Panchayati Raj
Kerala → Strong decentralized model
West Bengal → First state (1978) to implement 3-tier PRI (Ashok Mehta recommendations)
Why Nagaland is Exempt
Article 371A → Special constitutional protection
Parliament laws on religious/social practices & customary law not automatically applicable
Traditional tribal bodies govern villages
Exam Trap Areas – PRI Exceptions
Nagaland → No PRI (Art 371A)
Meghalaya → No PRI (Sixth Schedule – Autonomous Councils)
Mizoram → No PRI (Sixth Schedule areas)
Manipur (Hill Areas) → Autonomous District Councils
Delhi → No full PRI structure
Important Constitutional Linkages
73rd Amendment → Rural local bodies
74th Amendment → Urban local bodies
11th Schedule → 29 subjects to PRIs
State Election Commission → Conducts PRI elections
State Finance Commission → Financial devolution