RAS question
PESA Act 1996 extends Part IX to:
Correct answer: (A) Fifth Schedule areas.
The PESA Act, 1996 extends Part IX of the Constitution, which deals with Panchayats, to Fifth Schedule Scheduled Areas.
Explanation
PESA is formally the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996. The Act states that its purpose is to extend the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution relating to Panchayats to the Scheduled Areas, subject to the exceptions and modifications in the Act. These Scheduled Areas are the Fifth Schedule areas in ten states. This is why option A is right: PESA is not a general Panchayat law for every territory, but a special extension of the Panchayati Raj framework to Scheduled Areas, with specific roles for Gram Sabhas such as safeguarding traditions, approving local development plans and checking beneficiary selection.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) All Union Territories are not the target of the Act; the Act extends Part IX to Scheduled Areas, not to every Union Territory.
- (C) Sixth Schedule areas are not the answer because the Act extends Part IX to Scheduled Areas, while it only mentions following the Sixth Schedule pattern for district-level administrative arrangements in Scheduled Areas.
- (D) AFSPA areas are unrelated here because the Act concerns Panchayats in Scheduled Areas and contains no extension of Part IX to AFSPA-notified areas.
Concept
This tests the constitutional governance link between Part IX, Panchayati Raj and Scheduled Areas. It recurs in RAS because tribal self-governance, Gram Sabha powers and special-area administration are standard themes in polity questions.