Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat

The Panchayati Raj system in India is a three-tier structure formed for rural development in Indian society. The main expectation of making this a separate union is to help the rural areas in their development and in driving off their societal issues. Indeed, rural growth is one of the major aspects of development in a country. This is not a recent concept, but something that has been in continuation for a long period. Various political institutions in the rural areas are already acting like the body of the panchayat for many years. The Panchayati Raj system includes three bodies, namely, Panchayat Samiti, Zila Parishad and Gram Panchayat. The Gram panchayat is further divided into two different bodies i.e., Nyaya Panchayat and Gram Sabha. 

Gram Sabha 

Gram Sabha is an assembly of people in a village who have attained the age of 18 and who have enlisted themselves in the voter’s list. The sabha works under the guidance of the state legislature and mentions its powers, roles and functions. It is Article 243 which defines Gram Sabha in the Indian Constitution. 

Being a permanent body, the Gram Sabha looks after the annual budget of the Panchayat and makes administrative reports and audits regarding this rural body. In addition, it also plans the usage of various resources for the development of the rural community. Every year, the body conducts two meetings where one discusses the budget of the Gram Panchayat and the next discusses the Panchayat’s report. 

Gram Panchayat

Gram Panchayat is an executive body made from the elected representatives of the Gram Sabha. It is the lowest tier in the three-tier structure of the Panchayati Raj system in India. Membership and working varies from village to village and depends on the population and need of the village. The chief of a Gram panchayat is known as a Sarpanch who leads the Panches in the rural areas. 

Elections for the Gram Panchayat are based on the wards that are being created and then one member is selected from each ward, who works as the representative in the governmental body of Gram Panchayat. For the meeting, the executive body conducts it once a year. The functions performed by Gram Panchayat include tasks like sanitation, agricultural promotion, maternity welfare and adult education. 

Difference between Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat 

Definition

Gram Sabha is an assembly of people in a village who have attained the age of 18 and who have enlisted themselves in the voter’s list. When some elected representatives from the Gram Sabha make a different executive body, it is known as the Gram Panchayat. Gram panchayat is the third one in the three-tier structure of the Panchayati Raj System in India. 

Constituents of the Body 

Gram Panchayat constitutes the Sarpanch and ward members that are selected from each ward, who works as the representative in the governmental body of Gram Panchayat. On the other hand, the Gram Sabha comprises all the people in a village who have attained the age of 18 and who have enlisted themselves in the voter’s list. 

Permanency of the body 

The members of the Gram Panchayat are elected by the people of the village, once every five years. Thus, it is a temporary body. While on the other hand, Gram Sabha is a permanent body where no elections take place for the members. 

Election for the members 

The representatives of the Gram Panchayat are appointed by the members of the Gram Sabha. On the other hand, no such process of election takes place for forming the Gram Sabha body in the rural villages of India. 

Meetings of the body

The Gram Sabha conducts two to four meetings in a single year. For the meeting of the Gram Panchayat, the executive body conducts it once every month of the year.

Conclusion 

Being a classical system of local government, the system has many flaws as well. One needs to alter and make some necessary modifications in the body from time to time. That would then be beneficial for both the parties, the people and the government. The main aim for the setup of these bodies is to look after the developmental activities at the rural level and understand the needs that are not being fulfilled by the bigger governmental bodies of India. This is the main reason behind the formation of a three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj, to help the developmental process at the rural level as well.