Polity, Local Government & Administration of Chhattisgarh — Practice

Question 1

How many seats does the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha have, and how many are reserved?

Accepted Answer

It has 90 seats, of which 10 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 29 for Scheduled Tribes. The Assembly is unicameral with a five-year term.

Question 2

Where is the Chhattisgarh High Court and when was it established?

Accepted Answer

It sits at Bilaspur and was established on 1 November 2000 under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000.

Question 3

Name the divisions of Chhattisgarh.

Accepted Answer

Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Bastar and Surguja, each headed by a Commissioner. Confirm the current count, since administrative boundaries change.

Question 4

How did the number of districts in Chhattisgarh grow? (~100 words)

Accepted Answer

The state began with 16 districts on 1 November 2000. New districts were added over the following years, and in September 2022 five more were created: Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur and Sakti. This took the total to 33. Smaller districts bring administration closer to citizens and speed service delivery, though they add cost. Since boundaries change, the number should always be quoted with its year.

Question 5

What is PESA and how has Chhattisgarh implemented it? (~100 words)

Accepted Answer

The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 extends Panchayati Raj to Fifth Schedule areas with special powers for Gram Sabhas over land, minor forest produce, water bodies and local resources. It reserves at least half the seats and all chairperson posts in these panchayats for Scheduled Tribes. Chhattisgarh published its PESA rules in August 2022, well after the central law. The rules give the Gram Sabha a role in natural resource decisions, though implementation and its balance with mining and forest laws are debated.

Question 6

What are the three tiers of Panchayati Raj in Chhattisgarh?

Accepted Answer

Gram Panchayat at the village, Janpad Panchayat at the block and Zila Panchayat at the district, under the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam, 1993, with the Gram Sabha as the base forum.

Question 7

What is the Chhattisgarh Lok Sewa Guarantee Act, 2011?

Accepted Answer

A law guaranteeing delivery of notified public services within fixed timelines, with penalties on officers who default. It came into force in December 2011 and is an instance of the right-to-services approach.

Question 8

Describe the structure of local government in Chhattisgarh and the special role of PESA. (~175 words)

Accepted Answer

Local government in Chhattisgarh follows the 73rd and 74th Amendments. In rural areas there are three tiers under the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam, 1993: Gram Panchayat, Janpad Panchayat and Zila Panchayat, with the Gram Sabha as the base. In urban areas there are Municipal Corporations for large cities, Municipalities for smaller towns and Nagar Panchayats for transitional areas. A State Election Commission conducts elections to both sets of bodies. Because much of Bastar and Surguja is a Fifth Schedule area, the central PESA law of 1996 applies, giving Gram Sabhas special powers over land, water and minor forest produce and reserving at least half the seats and all chairperson posts for Scheduled Tribes. The state's PESA rules of August 2022 spell out these powers. Effective local government depends on funds, functions and functionaries, and on real Gram Sabha participation.

Question 9

Explain the governance structure of Chhattisgarh since its formation. (~175 words)

Accepted Answer

Chhattisgarh was created by the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 and came into being on 1 November 2000 as the 26th state, with Raipur as capital. It has a unicameral Vidhan Sabha of 90 members with 10 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and 29 for Scheduled Tribes, 11 Lok Sabha seats and 5 Rajya Sabha seats. The Governor is the constitutional head, and executive power rests with the Council of Ministers, whose size is capped by Article 164(1A) at 15 per cent of the Assembly. The High Court sits at Bilaspur. Administration runs through the secretariat, five divisions, 33 districts and revenue sub-units. Much of the state is a Fifth Schedule area, so tribal governance and PESA are central concerns. Commissions such as the Human Rights Commission and the Lokayog, and the Lok Sewa Guarantee Act, support accountability.

Practice — Polity, Local Government & Administration of Chhattisgarh

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