Empowering Panchayats: Mediation for Harmony, Democracy at the Roots

NATIONAL HERO — PETAL 004

May 4, 2025

🧭 Thematic Focus:

• Panchayati Raj Institutions
• Mediation Act, 2023
• Grassroots Governance and Legal Reforms
• Conflict Resolution and Social Harmony

🌱 Opening Whisper:

“Not all justice begins in courts — some are born beneath village banyans, with dialogue as their only gavel.”

🪷 Key Highlights:

• President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Mediation Association of India and the 1st National Mediation Conference, stressing the importance of extending the Mediation Act, 2023 to rural areas, empowering panchayats as mediators.

• She highlighted India’s legacy of community-based dispute resolution, stating that social harmony in villages is crucial to nation-building.

• The Mediation Act, 2023, especially Section 43 on community mediation, can help resolve disputes peacefully before they reach the courts.

• CJI Sanjiv Khanna emphasized that mediation treats the root causes of conflicts, not just symptoms — unlike traditional courtroom verdicts.

• CJI-designate Justice B R Gavai and MoS Law Arjun Meghwal were present, reinforcing institutional backing.

• The push is part of a broader effort to decentralize legal access and align grassroots justice with constitutional vision.

📘 Concept Explainer:

Evolution of Panchayati Raj Institutions

• Ancient Roots:
Found in the Vedas, Arthashastra, and Mauryan era, the panchayat has long served as the bedrock of rural governance.

• Colonial Reforms:

• Lord Mayo’s Resolution (1870) introduced local administrative bodies.
• Lord Ripon (1882) laid a foundational structure.
• Royal Commission (1909) advocated reforms incorporated into the Govt of India Act, 1919.

• Post-Independence Developments:

• Article 40 of the Directive Principles envisaged village self-rule.
• Community Development Programme (1952) served as a precursor to formal PRIs.

• Key Committees:

• Balwant Rai Mehta (1957): Proposed the 3-tier system.
• Ashok Mehta (1977): Recommended 2-tier governance and SC/ST reservations.
• Followed by Hanumantha Rao, GVK Rao, L M Singhvi, P K Thungan, and Harlal Singh Kharra Committees.

• Constitutional Status:

• 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992) enshrined PRIs and ULBs as constitutional bodies (Parts IX & IXA).
• Today: 2.55 lakh gram panchayats, 6742 block panchayats, 665 Zilla Parishads (MoPR 2024–25).

• Modern Evaluation Tools:

• Panchayat Devolution Index (2004): Tracks states on 3Fs (Functions, Finances, Functionaries), later expanded with Accountability, Capacity, and Framework.
• Top Performers: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu.
• e-Gram Swaraj App launched to digitize panchayat operations.

• Challenges:
Persistent financial dependence, lack of trained personnel, low digital literacy, and electoral irregularities.

📌 GS Paper Mapping:

• GS Paper 2 – Polity & Governance: Decentralization, Mediation Act, Role of Judiciary
• GS Paper 1 – Indian Society: Conflict resolution, role of Panchayats
• GS Paper 4 – Ethics: Community-based justice, constitutional morality

🪶 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk:

“Justice is not just a decree — it is a delicate dance between silence and speech, between fairness and fellowship. And sometimes, the truest courts lie under open skies, not domes of marble.”

High Quality Mains Essay For Practice :

Word Limit 1000-1200

“The Tree of Democracy is Only as Strong as the Roots of its Panchayats”

Role of Panchayati Raj in Strengthening Local Governance

In a democracy, the legitimacy of power does not flow from the towering buildings of capitals, but from the silent soil of its villages. If the Parliament is the crown of Indian democracy, the panchayat is its root — unseen, yet indispensable. The strength of a tree is not in the width of its trunk but in the health of its roots. It is at the grassroots, through the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), that democracy breathes, deliberates, and delivers.

Panchayati Raj: The Soul of Decentralised Governance

India’s Panchayati Raj system — a three-tier structure comprising Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, and Zilla Parishads — was constitutionally empowered through the 73rd Amendment Act of 1992. But the idea of local self-governance is far older than the Republic itself. Ancient texts such as the Rigveda and Manusmriti, and works like Arthashastra by Kautilya, make numerous references to village assemblies resolving disputes and managing civic affairs.

Post-independence, Mahatma Gandhi envisioned Gram Swaraj — a self-reliant, self-governing village republic as the backbone of Indian democracy. Though the journey toward formalizing Panchayati Raj was slow, the Balwantrai Mehta Committee (1957) laid the foundation of a three-tier system. Finally, the constitutional recognition in 1992 marked a pivotal shift toward people-centric governance.

Why the Roots Matter: Panchayats as Local Agents of Democracy

Panchayats are not just administrative units; they are living laboratories of participatory democracy. They bring the governance apparatus within the reach of the last citizen. From deciding on local infrastructure and sanitation to managing welfare schemes like MGNREGS and midday meals, panchayats perform a diverse set of functions.

In tribal belts, backward districts, or conflict zones, panchayats often serve as the first — and sometimes the only — point of contact between citizens and the state. Their role becomes even more critical in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Gram Panchayats coordinated relief distribution and awareness campaigns.

The institutionalization of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and Women’s reservations has further amplified inclusion. The 50% reservation for women in several states has transformed the gender landscape of rural leadership.

Strengthening the Roots: Role in Justice and Mediation

The recent Mediation Act, 2023 and President Droupadi Murmu’s call to empower panchayats as legal mediators reflect a profound constitutional imagination: resolving disputes not through delay-ridden courtrooms, but through dialogue, reconciliation, and community wisdom.

In a land where Nyaya Panchayats were once natural fixtures under banyan trees, the idea of community mediation is not new — it is a return to civilizational roots. This not only reduces burden on judiciary but builds local peace architecture. When disputes are resolved amicably at the village level — land disagreements, property disputes, family feuds — it fosters harmony far more enduring than adversarial litigation.

Digital Roots: Bridging Gaps with e-Gram Swaraj

The e-Gram Swaraj portal is a critical step toward digitizing panchayat functioning — from planning and accounting to auditing and monitoring. When digitization touches the grassroots, transparency strengthens, leakages reduce, and participation widens.

However, digital illiteracy, lack of infrastructure, and training gaps remain challenges. For many panchayat functionaries, navigating the digital interface without handholding is akin to asking a sapling to weather a storm.

The Devolution Deficit: A Root Starved of Nutrients

Despite constitutional promises, the devolution of powers, finances, and functionaries (3Fs) to panchayats remains half-hearted. The Panchayat Devolution Index, designed to track this decentralisation, repeatedly highlights gaps — states delegate functions but not funds or staff.

Panchayats often become passive conduits for top-down schemes rather than autonomous bodies with their own agency. Even when entrusted with responsibilities, they lack budgetary autonomy or technical capacity. This leads to a democratic illusion — where form exists without function.

From Tokenism to Transformation: Way Forward

If the tree of democracy is to truly stand tall and unshakable, its roots must be nurtured. Mere symbolic empowerment of PRIs is insufficient. A transformative agenda would include:

1. Legal Backing for Devolution: Make the devolution of 3Fs mandatory through enforceable legal frameworks and incentives.
2. Capacity Building: Continuous training for panchayat members on finance, planning, governance, digital skills, and legal awareness.
3. Gender-Sensitive Infrastructure: Ensure safe meeting spaces, toilets, and mobility for women representatives.
4. Strengthen e-Governance: Provide devices, digital access, and handholding support for effective use of e-Gram Swaraj.
5. Dispute Resolution Powers: Operationalize Section 43 of the Mediation Act across all states, enabling community-level dispute resolution.
6. Link with Civil Society: Encourage partnerships with NGOs and academic institutions for innovation, evaluation, and awareness.

A Model for the World

The Panchayati Raj system, with all its imperfections, offers a model of democratic deepening. While many democracies struggle with alienation of people from power, India’s constitutional vision — from Article 40 to the 73rd Amendment — recognizes that democracy cannot be parachuted from above; it must germinate from below.

Karnataka’s success in the Panchayat Devolution Index or Kerala’s people’s planning campaign demonstrate what’s possible when local institutions are trusted and resourced. A robust panchayat system is also key to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly in health, education, water, gender equality, and climate resilience.

Conclusion: Let the Roots Hold the Sky

In the quiet hum of a village meeting, in the outstretched hands of an elected sarpanch, and in the patient mediation under a neem tree, lies the heartbeat of Indian democracy. As we celebrate national milestones, pass laws in Parliament, or host global summits — let us not forget that a nation’s real strength is measured by the dignity it offers its smallest citizen.

The banyan tree of Indian democracy must draw strength not from centralized command but from a million healthy roots — its panchayats. Only then will its branches spread wide, and its shade reach all.

Closing Quote:

“The best government is not the one that reaches the people the fastest, but the one that grows from the people themselves.” – IAS Monk

Target IAS-26: Daily MCQs : May 4, 2025

📌 Prelims Practice MCQs

Topic: Global Financial Reforms and Sustainable Development Goals