Panchayati Raj in India is a system of decentralized rural governance introduced by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992. It aims to strengthen grassroots democracy by empowering local self-government institutions. Article 40 of the Constitution directs the State to organize village Panchayats as units of self-governance. The system provides a three-tier structure consisting of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zila Parishad. It also promotes social justice through reservation for women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.