characteristics of local government

a) Local Area: A local government like any other government, has to operate in a

geographical area. In a the case of a local government that geographical area by its

very nature has to be small or local, i.e. a village, a town or a city, in contrast to the

whole country or state. But it is difficult to precisely fix the size of the territory or

population of a local government. The population may not be more than a few

hundred if it is a village. But is may run into several millions if the local

government is operating in a modern metropolitan city like Greater London, Delhi,

Kolkata, Mumbai or Paris. In fact the populations of these metro cities

administered by their local governments are larger than the populations of some

sovereign countries like Nauru, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco although the latter are

members of the U.N. What is true of population also applies largely to the size of

the territory. Nevertheless, there is limit to the size of both population and territory

beyond which it cannot go. Otherwise such local governments become difficult to

administer. Where this has happened, efforts are made to decentralize the local

government or divide the metro cities into several independent local bodies or to

transfer their functions to autonomous boards.

b) Statutory Status: The local government enjoys statutory status, i.e. it is created by

a specific law or statute. The Act of the Legislature establishing local government

may be general, applicable to the whole state e.g. Local Government Act (1972) in

England and Wales; The Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973; various

Panchayat Raja CTS passed by States in India like Gujarat Panchayats Act, 1994;

U.P. MahanagarpalikaAdhiniyam, 1959 etc, or it may be a special legislation

creating local government in a specific area e.g. Delhi Municipal Corporation Act,

1957; Bombay Municipal Corporation Act, 1988; London Government Act, 1964,

etc. The main thing is that the local government is created by a law of the Legislature from which it derives its status and powers. Its status or powers do not

rest on the discretion of sweet will of the Central or State Government although the

latter exercises some control over it. In India, after the passage of 73rd and 74th

Amendments of the Constitutions, the local governments have been granted

constitutional status. This is an important feature of the local governments because

many of their other aspects directly flow from it.

c) Autonomous Status: Autonomy of the local governments is the natural

consequence of their statutory status. Since the local governments is the created by

an Act of the Legislature or Parliament, that Act lays down their powers, functions

and relationship with Central or State government. It also lays down how the local

governments are to be constituted, and their term of office etc. The Central or State

Government can exercise only that much control over the local governments as is

envisaged in the status. That means that local governments are free or autonomous

in exercising the powers and performing their functions as are envisaged in the

statute. This autonomy cannot be curtailed unless and until the statute is amended

by the legislature.

d) Local Participation: It is essential that people or inhabitants of the local area

should be associated with the functioning of the local government. Participation of

the local people in decision-making and administration of the local authority is

important that is what gives it the character of self-government. It is called

democracy at the grass-root level. In democratic countries participation of the

people is ensured by making the local bodies elected or representative in character.

In countries which are not democratic, participation of the people is provided

through nomination or indirect election. Sometimes this procedure is adopted even

in democratic countries for specific reasons. In America the governing bodies of

many special districts are appointed and not elected by the people. In India, New

Delhi Municipal Committee and Urban Improvement Trusts have nominated

chairmen and members. Cantonment Boards in India too have partly elected and

partly nominated members.

e) Local Accountability: Since local government provides services of local nature

called civil amenities like sanitation, education, transport etc. to the people of the area, it is appropriate that it is accountable to the local people. The control of the

local people will compel it to serve them better. Accountability is better ensured by

making the local bodies elective institutions. If they do not function efficiently,

they may be criticized by the people or defeated by them in the next elections.

Absence of local accountability will make them indifferent to the needs of the

local people.