Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in
- Federalism
- Democratic decentralisation
- Administrative delegation
- Direct democracy
Explanation
Option (b) is correct
- Local self-government refers to the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the central and state governments to local bodies such as Panchayats and Municipalities. This process strengthens democracy at the grassroots level and enables people to participate directly in governance. The 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Acts established local self-governance in rural and urban India, respectively. Following the two amendments, panchayats and municipalities were termed as “institutions of self-government.
Option (a) is incorrect
- Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between a central (national) authority and various regional (state/provincial) governments. Each level of government operates independently within its own jurisdiction.
- Unlike states in India, local bodies are not federal organisations.
- While the distribution of power between the union and state governments has been done per the Constitution, the distribution of power between the state governments and the local self-governments follows an act of the state legislature.
- The former may be called distributive, while the latter is devolutionary.
Option (c) is incorrect
- Administrative delegation refers to the transfer of responsibilities or authority from higher levels of government to lower levels or administrative bodies. Unlike democratic decentralization, it is not about empowering elected local bodies but rather delegating tasks to bureaucrats or agencies.
Option (d) is incorrect
- Direct democracy is a system where citizens themselves directly participate in decision-making, usually through referendums or initiatives. Local self-government is not considered direct democracy because elected representatives at the local level make decisions for their constituents.
