As per the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee in which of the following bodies, the representatives of the Panchayati raj systems are elected by the direct election?

Option 1 : Gram panchayat

The correct answer is option 1,i.e. Gram panchayat.

• Balwant Rai Mehta Committee submitted its report on November 1957 and recommended the establishment of Panchayat raj system.
• Panchayat Raj system means rural local self-government.
• This system in India was constitutionalised through the 73rd amendment act of 1992.
• The recommendation of these committees are:
  • This is a three tire system Gram panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level, Zila Parishad at the district level
  • The Panchayat Samiti is the executive body and the Zila Parishad should be the advisory, coordinating and supervisory body.
  • The Gram panchayat representatives should be elected by the direct election, whereas the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad members should be elected by the indirect election.
  •  All planning and development activities should be entrusted to these bodies. 
  • The district collector should be the chairman of the Zila Parishad.
  • There should be a genuine transfer of power and responsibility to these democratic bodies.
  •  Adequate resources should be transferred to these bodies to enable them to discharge their functions and fulfil their responsibilities. 
  • A system should be evolved to effect further devolution of authority in future.
• All the recommendation of the committee were accepted by the National Development Council in January 1958.