India, Feb. 24 -- Nearly three decades after its enactment, PESA remains unevenly implemented across India's Scheduled Areas

Several states have delayed or diluted rules, weakening Gram Sabha authority

Confusion between consultation and consent continues to undermine community decision-making

Fragmented laws and departmental control limit tribal self-governance

Political will and legal harmonisation remain critical to realising PESA's constitutional vision

Nearly 30 years after it was enacted to strengthen tribal self-governance, the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) remains unevenly implemented across India's Fifth Schedule Areas, exposing a widening gap between constitutional promise and administrative prac...