The Emerging Corpus
| 1931 | 1976 | 1993 Draft Notification | |
| Control over van panchayat | Revenue department (RD) given administrative and technical controls | RD retains administrative control while forest department (FD) has technical advisory role | Administrative and technical powers vested with RD |
| Powers of van panchayat | 1. Van panchayat (VPs) can fine offenders Rs 5 2. Can regulate grazing, grass cutting, collection of forest produce 3. Power to hire a chowkidar | 1. Panchayat can compound an offence up to Rs 50 with agreement of offender 2. Approval of district administration (DA) required 3. Permission of DA to appoint chowkidar | 1. Case can be compounded for up to Rs 500 as assessed by an administrative official 2. No charge 3. Subject to funds, panchayats can appoint chowkidar |
| Explotation and auction of forest produce | No restriction on sale | All commercial sale done by FD after approval of the district magistrate (DM) and the DFO | Produce valued up to Rs 5,000 can be sold by VPs. Forest produce to be auctioned after DMs approval |
| Income and its disposal | At the disposal of VPs | Distributed between RD, FD and maintained by DA | VPs to use revenue from panchayati fund under DM's supervison |