Evaluating the Significance of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) Introduction The Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) is a landmark legislation aimed at promoting tribal self-governance in India’s Fifth Schedule areas—regions predominantly inhabited by Scheduled Tribes (STs). Enacted to extend the provisions of Part IX of the … Continue reading Evaluate the significance of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) in empowering tribal self-governance. Discuss its constitutional and legal foundations, key provisions, implementation challenges, and implications for participatory democracy and inclusive development in Scheduled Areas.