KEA — Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993
Study Notes: Committees • Members • Quorum • Term • Meetings • Reporting
The Act creates a three-tier local self-government structure in Karnataka: Grama Panchayat (village), Taluk Panchayat
(block) and Zilla Panchayat (district). Each tier has its own Standing Committees, quorum rules, meeting cycle and
reporting chain, summarised below tier-by-tier, followed by a quick-revision comparison table and the higher planning
bodies (Taluk/District Planning Committees, State Panchayat Council).
1. GRAMA PANCHAYAT (Village level)
Meetings, Notice & Quorum (Sections 52–53)
Aspect Rule
Frequency At least once a month, at the GP office, time fixed by Adhyaksha
Special meeting — trigger Adhyaksha may call any time he thinks fit; must call it within 15 days of a written request signed by
1/3rd of total members
Special meeting — If Adhyaksha fails to call it: Upadhyaksha or the 1/3rd requesting members may themselves call it,
fallback for a day not more than 15 days after the request was made, and can require the Secretary to give
notice and take steps to convene it
Notice 7 clear days for ordinary meeting; 3 clear days for special meeting (must state the business/subject)
Quorum One-half of total members. If absent, presiding authority waits 30 minutes, then adjourns to next
day/fixed day. For election of Adhyaksha/Upadhyaksha: no quorum needed on the 2nd adjourned
day
Presides Adhyaksha; in absence, Upadhyaksha; in absence of both, members elect one among themselves
Voting Majority of members present & voting; presiding member has a casting vote on a tie
Standing Committees (Section 61)
Committee Chairman Key functions
General Standing Committee Upadhyaksha (ex-officio) Agriculture, animal husbandry, rural industries,
poverty-alleviation programmes, education, public works,
supervision/complaints on works
Finance, Audit & Planning Adhyaksha (ex-officio) Finance, budgets, revenue proposals, receipts/expenditure,
Standing Committee GP development plan, data/statistics
Social Justice Standing Elected by the committee Welfare of SC/ST/Backward Classes, protection from social
Committee itself (must be an SC/ST injustice; women & children's welfare, gender-friendly
member) programmes
Item Detail
Members per committee Not less than 3, not more than 5 (including Adhyaksha/Upadhyaksha where applicable)
Composition rule Social Justice Committee must include at least one woman member and one SC or ST member
(whichever has more elected members)
Term of office 30 months from election, or until the member ceases to be a GP member — whichever is earlier
Co-option Committees may co-opt 1–2 computer technicians; also members of farmers' clubs / mahila
mandals / yuvak mandals / co-op society reps
Reports / powers to Grama Panchayat — committees act only to the extent powers are delegated to them by the GP
Other committees (Sec 61A) GP may additionally appoint committees for any other purpose, with powers it decides
2. TALUK PANCHAYAT (Block / Intermediate level)
Meetings, Notice & Quorum (Section 141)
Aspect Rule
Frequency At least once in 2 months (ordinary meeting), ordinarily at Taluk Panchayat headquarters
Special meeting — trigger Adhyaksha may call any time he thinks fit; must call it, on a date within 15 days of a written request
signed by 1/3rd of total members, stating the object of the meeting
Special meeting — If Adhyaksha fails to call it: Upadhyaksha or the 1/3rd requesting members may themselves call it,
fallback for a day not more than 15 days after the request was presented, and can require the Executive
Officer to give notice and take steps to convene it
Notice 10 clear days for ordinary meeting; 7 clear days for special meeting (must include the
motion/proposition from the request)
Quorum One-half of total members. Presiding officer waits 30 minutes; if still no quorum, adjourns to a future
day
Presides Adhyaksha, or Upadhyaksha in his absence; else members elect one of themselves
Standing Committees (Section 148–149)
Committee Chairman Key functions
General Standing Committee Upadhyaksha (ex-officio) Establishment matters, communications, buildings, rural
housing, village extensions, relief in natural calamities, water
supply, residuary matters
Finance, Audit & Planning Adhyaksha (ex-officio) Finances/budget of Taluk Panchayat, revenue proposals,
Committee receipts & expenditure, co-operation, small savings, Taluk
development plan
Social Justice Committee Elected from among its Promotion/protection of SC, ST & Backward Classes; social
members justice for women and other weaker sections
Item Detail
Members per committee Not exceeding 6, including the Chairman, as fixed by the Taluk Panchayat
Composition rule Social Justice Committee: at least one woman and one SC/ST member (whichever has more
elected members)
Term of office 20 months from election, or until ceasing to be a TP member — whichever is earlier
One committee rule No elected member may serve on more than one standing committee
Secretary Executive Officer is ex-officio Secretary of every standing committee
Reports / powers to Taluk Panchayat — committees exercise only delegated powers
3. ZILLA PANCHAYAT (District level)
Meetings, Notice & Quorum (Section 180)
Aspect Rule
Frequency At least once in 2 months (ordinary meeting), ordinarily at Zilla Panchayat headquarters
Special meeting — trigger Adhyaksha may call any time he thinks fit; must call it, on a date within 15 days of a written request
signed by 1/3rd of total members, stating the object of the meeting
Special meeting — If Adhyaksha fails to call it: Upadhyaksha or the 1/3rd requesting members may themselves call it,
fallback for a day not more than 15 days after the request was presented, and can require the Chief
Executive Officer to give notice and take steps to convene it
Notice 10 clear days for ordinary meeting; 7 clear days for special meeting (must include the
motion/proposition from the request)
Quorum One-half of total members. Presiding officer waits 30 minutes; if still no quorum, adjourns to a future
day
Presides Adhyaksha, or Upadhyaksha in his absence; else members elect one of themselves
Standing Committees (Section 186–187) — 5 committees, the largest of the 3 tiers
Committee Chairman Key functions
General Standing Committee Upadhyaksha (ex-officio) Establishment matters, communications, buildings, rural housing,
relief in calamities, residuary matters
Finance, Audit & Planning Adhyaksha (ex-officio) Finances/budget, revenue proposals, receipts & expenditure, plan
Committee priorities, outlay allocation, small savings
Social Justice Committee Elected from among Promotion/protection of SC, ST, Backward Classes; social justice
members to women & weaker sections
Education & Health Committee Elected from among District education activities & planning, survey/evaluation of
members education; health services, hospitals, water supply, family welfare
Agriculture & Industries Elected from among Agricultural production, animal husbandry, contour bunding;
Committee members village/cottage industries; district industrial development
Item Detail
Members per committee Not exceeding 7, including the Chairman, as fixed by the Zilla Panchayat
Composition rule Social Justice Committee: at least one woman and one SC/ST member (whichever has more
elected members)
Term of office 20 months from election, or until ceasing to be a ZP member — whichever is earlier
Committee-limit rule No member may serve on more than two standing committees
Secretary Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is ex-officio Secretary for General SC and Finance/Audit/Planning
SC; CEO nominates a Deputy Secretary as ex-officio Secretary for each remaining committee.
CEO may attend all committee meetings
Reports / powers to Zilla Panchayat — committees exercise only delegated powers
4. QUICK-REVISION COMPARISON TABLE
Feature Grama Panchayat Taluk Panchayat Zilla Panchayat
Standing committees 3 (General, 3 (same 3 as GP) 5 (same 3 + Education & Health,
Finance-Audit-Planning, Social Agriculture & Industries)
Justice)
Members/committee 3–5 Up to 6 Up to 7
Committee term 30 months 20 months 20 months
Membership limit — Max 1 committee/member Max 2 committees/member
Ordinary meeting Once a month Once in 2 months Once in 2 months
Ordinary notice 7 clear days 10 clear days 10 clear days
Special notice 3 clear days 7 clear days 7 clear days
Special meeting Upadhyaksha/1-3rd members Upadhyaksha/1-3rd members Upadhyaksha/1-3rd members call it
fallback call it if Adhyaksha fails; call it if Adhyaksha fails; if Adhyaksha fails; CEO compelled
Secretary compelled to notify Executive Officer compelled to to notify
notify
Quorum 1/2 of total members 1/2 of total members 1/2 of total members
Wait before adjourning 30 minutes 30 minutes 30 minutes
Committee Secretary Secretary of GP (Panchayat Executive Officer (all CEO (2 committees) + nominated
Dev. Officer) committees) Dy. Secretaries (rest)
Reports to Grama Panchayat Taluk Panchayat Zilla Panchayat
Executive head Adhyaksha / Secretary Adhyaksha / Executive Officer Adhyaksha / Chief Executive
Officer
Common rule across all 3 tiers
• Adhyaksha is always ex-officio Chairman of the Finance, Audit & Planning committee.
• Upadhyaksha is always ex-officio Chairman of the General Standing committee.
• The Social Justice Committee (and, at Zilla level, Education & Health / Agriculture & Industries) elects its own chairman
from among its members.
• All committees act only to the extent powers are delegated to them by the parent Panchayat.
• Every member of a Panchayat/committee is entitled to a prescribed sitting fee per day of sitting.
5. HIGHER PLANNING BODIES (Sections 309D–310A)
Taluk Planning & Development Committee (Sec 309D)
Integrates planning at the taluk level. Chairman: MLA representing major part of the taluk. Co-Chairpersons: Adhyaksha
of the Taluk Panchayat; President of the largest urban local body at taluk HQ. Vice-chairperson: one Gram Panchayat
Adhyaksha (by lot). Members include local MPs/MLAs/MLCs, Upadhyaksha of TP, Chairman of Social Justice Committee,
plus special invitees (5 GP Adhyakshas by lot, APMC/PCARD presidents, lead-bank district manager, 3 sector experts).
Member-Secretary: Executive Officer of the Taluk Panchayat. Term: co-terminus with the Taluk Panchayat's term
(ex-officio members' term is co-terminus with their own term, if shorter).
District Planning Committee (Sec 310)
Consolidates plans of Zilla/Taluk/Grama Panchayats and urban bodies into a draft district development plan. Members
include: the District Minister, Adhyaksha of the Zilla Panchayat, Presidents of Taluk Panchayats, Vice-chairpersons of
Taluk Planning & Development Committees, plus elected members (not less than 4/5th of total, as Government specifies).
Forwards the consolidated district plan to the Government via the Decentralised Planning & Development Committee for
integration into the State plan.
State Panchayat Council (Sec 310A)
Item Detail
Purpose Forum for elected representatives to voice aspirations & suggestions to improve the Panchayat
Raj system
Chairman Chief Minister
Vice-Chairman Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj
Members 5 other nominated ministers; Adhyakshas of all Zilla Panchayats; Adhyakshas of 4 Gram
Panchayats (one per revenue division) + 1 Taluk Panchayat (nominated); 5 MLAs (nominated by
Speaker); 2 MLCs (nominated by Chairman, Legislative Council)
Member-Secretary Secretary, Dept. of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj
Meeting frequency At least once a year
Function Discusses matters relating to functioning of Panchayats across the State
Source: The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 (Sections 52–61, 141, 148–150, 180, 186–188, 309D–310A). Notes
compiled for quick revision — refer to the Bare Act for exact statutory wording and amendments.