Constitutionalisation of Panchayats

Rajiv Gandhi Government

• The Rajiv Gandhi Government introduced the 64th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha in July 1989 to constitutionalise panchayati raj institutions and make them more powerful and broad based. Although, the Lok Sabha passed the bill in August 1989, it was not approved by the Rajya Sabha.

• 64th Constitutional Amendment Bill is introduced in Parliament in 1989 on 15 May; is defeated in Rajya Sabha on 15 October

V.P. Singh Government

• 74th Constitutional Amendment Bill is introduced in Parliament 1990 on 7 September; lapses on dissolution of Lok Sabha

Narasimha Rao Government

• introduced a constitutional amendment bill in the Lok Sabha in September, 1991

• Lok Sabha passes both the Bills on 22 December; Rajya Sabha passes them on 23 December

• This bill finally emerged as the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 and came into force on 24 April, 1993

• 74th Amendment Act, 1992 comes into force on 1 June 1993