Home The Constitution Part IX Article 243D

Art. 243D Part IX: The Panchayats

Reservation of Seats

Exact text — Constitution of India

(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... (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... (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...

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This is one of the most transformative Articles in the entire Constitution for grassroots representation — it mandates proportional SC/ST seat reservation AND a minimum one-third reservation for women in every Panchayat, including reservation of the Chairperson's office itself, not just ordinary member seats.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This Article has produced one of the largest jumps in elected women's political representation anywhere in the world — over a million women hold elected Panchayat positions in India today, a direct result of this specific constitutional mandate rather than voluntary political party action.

Landmark Cases

How courts have interpreted this Article

Bhanumati v. State of Uttar Pradesh(2010) 12 SCC 1 — Upheld states' power to fix a 'no-confidence motion' threshold requiring special majorities to remove reserved-category chairpersons, reinforcing that this reservation must be given real, stable effect, not just formal compliance. Verify this case

Read alongside this one

Art. 243c — Composition of Panchayats Art. 330 — Reservation of Seats for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 243D

Is the one-third women's reservation just for ordinary member seats, or also leadership positions?

It explicitly extends to the Chairperson's office too — states must reserve a proportion of Panchayat Chairperson positions for women, not just rank-and-file member seats.

← PreviousArticle 243C: Composition of Panchayats Next →Article 243E: Duration of Panchayats

The text above reproduces Article 243D of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.