Caste panchayats, based on caste system in India, are caste-specific juries of elders for villages or higher-level communities in India.[1] They are distinct from gram panchayats in that the latter, as statutory bodies, serve all villagers regardless of caste as a part of the Indian government, although they operate on the same principles. A panchayat could be permanent or temporary.[2]
The term panchayat implies a body of five (Sanskrit: panch) individuals, although the number may vary in practice. The number is kept odd to ensure there is no tie when a decision is made. Panchayat members are appointed by consensus.[3]
- ^ Mullick, Rohit; Raaj, Neelam (9 September 2007). "Panchayats turn into kangaroo courts". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016.
- ^ "Panchayat Indian caste government". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ [1] Archived 20 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine Justice, Human Rights and Premchand’s Panch Parmeshwar By CHARANJEET KAUR | 9 Dec 2012]