Local governance comes under the jurisdiction of the states under India's Constitution. Each state has its own history of the development of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), though influenced by the national directives. It is at the state level that we get to know fully about how PRIs work. This chapter focuses therefore on one particular state – Karnataka. Karnataka had in place a radical legislation passed in 1983, which had devolved real powers and resources to zilla parishads, with bureaucrats placed under them and it had followed a policy of reserving seats for women, and SCs and STs in ZPs and mandal panchayats. A Parliamentary system of government rules Karnataka with the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council as the democratically elected legislatures. Karnataka has a rich heritage of self-governing institutions. Panchayats were in existence during ancient and medieval periods in Karnataka particularly during the rule of the Kadambas, the Gangas, the Satavahanas, the Chalukyas, the Rashtrakutas and the Pallavas.