What is the system of governance in the Panchayati Raj setup ?

The Panchayati Raj system in India is organised as a three-tier structure of local self-government operating at the village, block (intermediate) and district levels. The village-level body is the Gram Panchayat (or Gram Sabha), the block-level body is the Panchayat Samiti (or Mandal/Taluka Panchayat), and the district-level body is the Zila Parishad; together they cover local development and service functions across the district [2]. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment (Part IX and Schedule XI) gave constitutional recognition to panchayats and explicitly provides for panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels, making the three-tier arrangement uniform across states [3].

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > 5. The Panchayat-Level Planning > p. 58
2. [2] Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy — Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas > Panchayati Raj System > p. 165
3. [3] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 4: Salient Features of the Constitution > III I Three-tier Government > p. 33