Which committee in India first recommended a system of democratic decentralisation through Panchayati Raj institutions at the village, block and district levels?

Introduction / Context:
This question relates to the evolution of Panchayati Raj and democratic decentralisation in post independence India. Democratic decentralisation means transferring power, responsibility and resources from higher levels of government to elected bodies at lower levels, so that local people can participate directly in decision making. The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee is a key name that every student of Indian polity needs to remember.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The subject is the recommendation of a decentralisation system.
- The context is Indian committees formed after independence.
- The system mentioned is democratic decentralisation through Panchayats at village, block and district levels.
- Several well known leaders and committees are given in the options, and exactly one of them is correct.

Concept / Approach:
The core idea is to connect the concept of democratic decentralisation with the right committee. In 1957 the Government of India appointed the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee to evaluate the Community Development Programme and National Extension Service. This committee recommended a three tier Panchayati Raj structure and became famous for giving a clear blueprint for decentralised rural self governance. Other committees such as the Ashok Mehta Committee and K. Santhanam Committee also worked on related themes later, but they did not originate the basic decentralisation scheme asked in the question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key phrase democratic decentralisation and link it to Panchayati Raj institutions.Step 2: Recall that the first major report on Panchayati Raj after independence was submitted by the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee in 1957.Step 3: Note that this committee recommended a three tier structure Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad, with genuine transfer of powers and responsibilities.Step 4: Compare this recollection with the options. Only the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee is known specifically for recommending democratic decentralisation in this manner.Step 5: Mark Balwant Rai Mehta Committee as the correct answer and treat the remaining options as later or different committees.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can place the committees on a mental timeline. The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee worked in the late nineteen fifties. The Ashok Mehta Committee came much later in the nineteen seventies and recommended a two tier system. K. Santhanam Committee mainly dealt with financial powers of Panchayats. C. Rajagopalachari and J. B. Kripalani were important political leaders but not the heads of the famous decentralisation committee. This cross check confirms that the correct committee is Balwant Rai Mehta.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- C. Rajagopalachari Committee: Rajagopalachari was a prominent leader and first Indian Governor General, but no major decentralisation committee is officially known by his name.
- J. B. Kripalani Committee: Kripalani was an important Congress leader, yet he did not chair the committee that designed the Panchayati Raj framework after independence.
- Ashok Mehta Committee: This later committee suggested reforms to Panchayati Raj but was not the original body to recommend democratic decentralisation.
- K. Santhanam Committee: This committee focused on Panchayat finances and local taxation, not on the basic structure of democratic decentralisation.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up Balwant Rai Mehta Committee with Ashok Mehta Committee because both deal with Panchayati Raj. The safest method is to remember that Balwant Rai Mehta comes first and talks about creating the system, whereas Ashok Mehta suggests reforms when the system is already in place. Confusing political leaders and committee chairs is another common mistake, so always connect the specific recommendation with the correct name of the committee.

Final Answer:
The system of democratic decentralisation through Panchayati Raj institutions was first recommended by the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee.