Which of the following statements is true ?

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, provides for a three-tier Panchayati Raj system across India. However, certain areas are exempted from its application, specifically the states of Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, as well as certain tribal and hill areas [1]. While the Act applies to Union Territories, the National Capital Territory of Delhi is excluded from these provisions [1]. Statement 2 is incorrect because the 73rd Amendment (not 74th) introduced the rural Panchayat system [2]. Statement 3 is incorrect because states with a population not exceeding 20 lakh (2 million) have the option to omit only the intermediate level, not the entire system [4]. Statement 4 is incorrect as the standard tenure for a Gram Panchayat is five years from the date of its first meeting, not three years [1].

Sources

1. [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 4: Salient Features of the Constitution > III I Three-tier Government > p. 33
2. [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Salient Features > p. 389
3. [3] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 39: Panchayati Raj > Salient Features > p. 389
4. [4] Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: LOCAL GOVERNMENTS > Three Tier Structure > p. 183