Home The Constitution Part IX Article 243M

Art. 243M Part IX: The Panchayats

Part Not to Apply to Certain Areas

Exact text — Constitution of India

(1) Nothing in this Part shall apply to the Scheduled Areas referred to in clause (1), and the tribal areas referred to in clause (2), of article 244. (2) Nothing in this Part shall apply to—(a) the States of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram; (b) the hill areas in the State of Manipur for which District Councils exist under any law for the time being in force. (4)(a) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, Parliament may, by law, extend this Part to the Scheduled Areas and the tribal areas... subject to such exceptions and modifications as may be specified in such law...

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article carves out important exceptions to the standard Panchayati Raj framework — Scheduled/tribal areas (governed by the Fifth and Sixth Schedules instead), and specific Northeastern states (Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram) and Manipur's hill areas that have their own distinct traditional or Council-based local governance systems, are exempted from this Part's standard requirements, though Parliament retains power to extend it with modifications if it chooses.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is why village-level self-government looks quite different in parts of the Northeast compared to most of India — these regions' existing traditional and customary governance systems (protected under Articles like 371A and 371G) were deliberately preserved rather than being overridden by the standard Panchayati Raj model.

Read alongside this one

Art. 244 — Administration of Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas Art. 371a — Special Provisions for Nagaland

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 243M

Why are these specific states excluded from standard Panchayati Raj?

They have distinct, historically-rooted traditional or customary local governance systems that the Constitution's framers (and later, the 73rd Amendment's drafters) chose to protect and preserve rather than replace with the standard three-tier Panchayat model.

← PreviousArticle 243L: Application to Union Territories Next →Article 243N: Continuance of Existing Laws and Panchayats

The text above reproduces Article 243M 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.