Constitution of India, 1949
243D. Reservation of seats.—
(1) Seats shall be reserved for—
(a) the Scheduled Castes; and
(b) the Scheduled Tribes, in every Panchayat
and the number of seats so reserved shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same
proportion to the, total number of seats to be filled by direct election in
that Panchayat as the population of the Scheduled Castes in that Panchayat area
or of the Scheduled Tribes in that Panchayat area bears to the total population
of that area and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different
constituencies in a Panchayat.
(2) Not less than one-third of the total number of seats
reserved under clause (1) shall be reserved for women belonging, to the
Scheduled Castes or, as the case may be, the Scheduled Tribes.
(3) Not less than one-third (including the number of seats
reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes)
of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Panchayat
shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to
different constituencies in a Panchayat.
(4) The offices of the Chairpersons in the Panchayats at the
village or any other level shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes the
Scheduled Tribes and women in such manner as the Legislature of a State may, by
law, provide:
Provided that the number of offices of Chairpersons
reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the Panchayats at
each level in any State shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to
the total number of such offices in the Panchayats at each level as the
population of the Scheduled Castes in the State or of the Scheduled Tribes in
the State bears to the total population of the State:
Provided further that not less than one-third of the
total number of offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats at each level shall
be reserved for women:
Provided also that the number of offices reserved under
this clause shall be allotted by rotation to different Panchayats at each
level.
(5) The reservation of seats under clauses (1) and (2) and the
reservation of offices of Chairpersons (other than the reservation for women)
under clause (4) shall cease to have effect on the expiration of the period
specified in article 334 .
(6) Nothing in this Part shall prevent the Legislature of a
State from making any provision for reservation of seats in any Panchayat or
offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats at any level in favor of backward
class of citizens.