Licence for private markets

(1) No person shall open a new private market or continue to keep open a private market unless he obtains from the gram panchayat a licence to do so. (2) Application for such licence shall be made by the owner of the place in respect of which the licence is sought not less than thirty and not more than ninety days before such place is opened as a market, or the commencement of the year for which the licence is sought to be renewed, as the case may be. (3) The gram panchayat shall, as regards private markets already lawfully established and may, as regards new private markets, grant the licence applied for, subject to such regulations as to supervision and inspection and to such conditions as to sanitation, drainage, water supply, width of paths and ways, weights and measures to be used, and rents and fees to be charged in such market, as the gram panchayat may think proper; or the gram panchayat may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, refuse to grant any such licence for any new private market. The gram panchayat may, however, at any time for breach of any condition of the licence suspend or cancel the licence granted under this section. The gram panchayat may also modify any of the conditions of the licence to take effect from a specified date. (4) When a licence is granted, refused, suspended, cancelled or modified under this section, the gram panchayat shall cause a notice of such grant, refusal, suspension, cancellation or modification in the chief language of the village to be pasted conspicuously at or near the entrance to the place in respect of which the licence was sought or had been obtained. (5) Every licence granted under this section shall expire at the end of the year. (6) Any person aggrieved by an order of the gram panchayat under sub-section (3) may appeal against such order to the Commissioner who may, if he thinks fit, suspend the execution of the order, pending the disposal of the appeal.