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Panchayati Raj Institutions – the grass-roots units of self-government – have been proclaimed as the vehicles of socio-economic transformation in rural India. Effective and meaningful functioning of these bodies would depend on active involvement, contribution and participation of its citizens both male and female. Gandhiji’s dream of every village being a republic and Panchayats having powers has been translated into reality with the introduction of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system to enlist people’s participation in rural reconstruction. Balwant Rai Mehta committee in 1957 was set up to examine self - governing institutions at village level. In 1958, Panchayati Raj was suggested in the Committee’s report. With the ratification of the Constitution (73 rd Amendment) Act 1992 and the Constitution (74 th Amendment) Act 1992, local self government both rural and urban have been given constitutional identification in our country and it is the third layer of government, the first two being the Central and the State government. April 24, 1993 is a landmark day in the history of Panchayati Raj in India as on this day the Constitution (73 rd Amendment) Act, 1992 came into force to provide constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj institutions.