Gram Sabha
Constitutional and Statutory Authority in Tribal Areas
The Gram Sabha, defined under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), is the assembly of all adult members of a village. In the context of forest rights and relocation, the Gram Sabha is both the initial authority for recognising forest rights (under FRA Section 6) and the body whose Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is mandatory before any relocation.
- PESA Act, 1996 enacted to extend Part IX of the Constitution (Panchayats) to Fifth Schedule areas (tribal areas)
- Under PESA, the Gram Sabha has powers to: approve plans and programmes for social and economic development, identify beneficiaries of poverty alleviation programmes, issue certificates of utilisation of funds, and be consulted before land acquisition
- FRA Section 6(1): Gram Sabha initiates the process of determining forest rights
- FRA Section 4(2)(e): Free informed consent of Gram Sabha required for any relocation from Critical Wildlife Habitats
- Fifth Schedule (Article 244(1)): Applies to tribal areas in 10 states (Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana)
- Sixth Schedule (Article 244(2)): Applies to tribal areas in 4 NE states (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura) — creates autonomous district and regional councils
● Tracked since February 11, 2026 · last seen July 01, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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