The Framework
Kerala has 978 Village Panchayats (Grama panchayats), 152 Block Panchayats and 14 District Panchayats; in the urban areas it has 60 Municipalities and 5 Corporations, a total of 1209 Local Self Government Institutions.
Table : Local Governments in Kerala
| Sl No | Type of local government | Total numbers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grama Panchayat | 978 |
| 2 | Block Panchayat | 152 |
| 3 | District Panchayat | 14 |
| 4 | Municipality | 60 |
| 5 | Corporation | 5 |
| Total in the State | 1209 |
The President of the Panchayat Raj Institutions(PRIs) has been declared as the executive authority. The senior most officials of various departments brought under the control of the Panchayat Raj Institutions have been declared as ex-officio Secretaries for that subject. The Panchayats have full administrative control including powers of disciplinary action over its own staff as well as staff transferred to it. To encourage a healthy relationship between officials and elected Members, the Act prescribes a code of conduct that lays down principles of polite behavior, respect for elected authorities, and protection of the freedom of the civil servant to render advice freely and fearlessly. All these features are there in the Kerala Municipality Act as well.
The Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and Kerala Municipalities Act 1994 were thoroughly restructured in 1999 and several innovative features laying strong legal foundation for evolving genuine institutions of Local Self Government were built in.
Read more about this topic: Local Governance In Kerala
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