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THE CONSTITUTION, MADE UNDERSTANDABLE

Article 243M
Part not to apply to certain areas

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Source edition: as on 1 May 2026. Omitted and struck-down reference entries remain labelled. Open the authoritative PDF ↗

Article 243M / Part IX

Part not to apply to certain areas

included in edition
THE PLAIN-LANGUAGE GUIDE

What does this mean?

The panchayat Part has specified geographical exceptions and qualifications, including Scheduled and tribal areas. Parliament can extend it to certain areas under the enabling conditions, so the general rural model is not universal.

The constitutional framework for rural panchayats, elections, representation, finances and planning.

PURPOSE & CONTEXT

Why is this provision here?

Rural local self-government needs workable representation, resources, accountability and territorial rules. This supplies the particular rule described above.

Historical evidence

Article 243M was introduced in its present subject framework by Amendment 73 (1992), after the original Constitution. The verified sources are the official edition and the linked Amendment Act and Bill statement. Original 1946–1950 Assembly debates predate this insertion and are not presented as its direct drafting reason. The explanation of function above is editorial; the Bill statement supplies the attributed legislative reasons for the later proposal.

The explanation of purpose is an editorial reading of the provision. A drafting motive is attributed only where a linked historical source supports it.

Limits, exceptions & reading carefully

Educational summary of the linked source text. Exceptions, provisos, implementing laws and applicable judgments must be read before applying it to a real case.

Read the official constitutional text
243M. Part not to apply to certain areas.—(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. (3) Nothing in this Part— (a) relating to Panchayats at the district level shall apply to the hill areas of the District of Darjeeling in the State of West Bengal for which Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council exists under any law for the time being in force; (b) shall be construed to affect the functions and powers of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council constituted under such law. [(3A) Nothing in article 243D, relating to reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes, shall apply to the State of Arunachal Pradesh.] (4) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution,— (a) the Legislature of a State referred to in sub-clause (a) of clause (2) may, by law, extend this Part to that State, except the areas, if any, referred to in clause (1), if the Legislative Assembly of that State passes a resolution to that effect by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting; (b) Parliament may, by law, extend the provisions of this Part to the Scheduled Areas and the tribal areas referred to in clause (1) subject to such exceptions and modifications as may be specified in such law, and no such law shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of article 368.
Source-page notes · may concern neighbouring Articles

1. Ins. by the Constitution (Eighty-third Amendment) Act, 2000, s. 2 (w.e.f. 8-9-2000).

Extracted from the Legislative Department’s May 2026 edition. Page footnotes may refer to neighbouring provisions; check their markers in the PDF. Inclusion in this edition does not by itself establish commencement or judicial effect.