This study analyses the complexities of local governance, both rural and urban, in contemporary India. It argues that there is more to local governance today than a focus on decentralization. The essays discuss some of the lesser known aspects of the interface between panchayats and other institutions of local governance, whether district administration or parastatal agencies and civil society organizations. In addition, they examine sectoral experiences in health and primary education, local governance in the urban and rural setting, and related issues of transparency, representation, and accountability.