The policy of decentralised governance was initiated in Kerala in 1996 following the 73 & 74 amendments to the constitution of India. It encompassed all spheres of administration, and had as its primary objective, delegation of administrative powers from the state government in Trivandrum to the local governments at three tiers elected by the people through the constitutionally mandated local body elections. However, unlike in many states, in Kerala this was not a passive exercise in confirmation with the central and state government statutes; rather, it was taken up as a political campaign aimed at transfer of power to local governments. It was perceived that these would be closer to the people and therefore better reflect their aspirations