The members of the Panchayat Samiti are

The correct answer is C. Members of the Panchayat Samiti (Kshetra Samiti in UP) are directly elected by the voters of the territorial constituencies within the block, under adult franchise. This follows Article 243C(1) of the Constitution, which requires all seats in a panchayat to be filled by direct election.

• A is wrong: A BDO is an executive officer of the State. He has no power to nominate elected representatives.
• B is wrong: The Zila Panchayat Chairman has no power to nominate Samiti members. Any link between the two tiers is through elections, not nomination.
• D is wrong: Village Panchayat members are themselves elected directly by village voters. Indirect election of Samiti members by them is not the scheme. The indirect element lies at the top of the Samiti: the Pradhan is elected by the Samiti members from among themselves.

The core concept is the three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj after the 73rd Amendment (1992). Direct election for members and indirect election for the office-holder at intermediate and district levels is a recurring point in Mains answers on decentralisation and local self-government.

Trap: Aspirants mix up the member and the office-holder. The Pradhan or Chairman is indirectly elected, but the members are directly elected.