Reservation of seats

Reservation of seats. — (1) Seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in every Mandal Praja Parishad and Zilla Praja Parishad and the number of seats so reserved shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election to the Mandal Praja Parishad or as the case may be, the Zilla Praja Parishad as the population of the Scheduled Castes or of the Scheduled Tribes in the Mandal or district concerned bears to the total population of that Mandal or district: Provided that the Government may by order, specify the Mandal Praja Parishads or Zilla Praja Parishads in which the proportion of the population of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes is low and may not reserve seats in such Mandal Praja Parishads or Zilla Praja Parishads. (2) Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved under sub-section (1) shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes or as the case may be, the Scheduled Tribes. (3) Not less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election to every Mandal Praja Parishad and Zilla Praja Parishad shall be reserved for women. (4) One-third of the seats shall be reserved for the members of the Backward Classes in every Mandal Praja Parishad and Zilla Praja Parishad. (5) Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved under sub-section (4) shall be reserved for women belonging to the Backward Classes.