Reservation of seats —(1) In every Gram Panchayat, as nearly as but

not exceeding fifty percent of the total seats of members of Gram

Panchayat shall be reserved for

1. (a) Scheduled Castes;
2. (b) Scheduled Tribes; and
3. (c) Backward Classes. The number of seats so reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes shall bear as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled up by direct election in that Gram Panchayat as the population of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes bears to the total population of that area and such seats shall be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Gram Panchayat by the District Magistrate under the direction, control and supervision of the State Election Commission in the prescribed manner. After reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, the number of seats to be reserved for the Backward Classes shall be as nearly as possible but not exceeding twenty percent of the total seats and within the overall limit of fifty percent reservation for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Backward Classes and shall be allotted to the remaining constituencies by the District Magistrate in the prescribed manner. Such seats shall be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Gram Panchayat by the District Magistrate during subsequent elections under the direction, control and supervision of the State Election Commission in the manner prescribed by it.

1. (2) As nearly as but not exceeding fifty percent of the total number of seats reserved under Sub-section (1) shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Backward Classes, as the case may be.
2. (3) As nearly as but not exceeding fifty percent of the total number of seats not reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes shall be reserved for women.
3. (4) Such total number of seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the Backward Classes and unreserved category may be allotted by rotation by the District Magistrate under the direction, control and supervision of the State Election Commission to different constituencies in a Gram Panchayat in such manner as may be prescribed by it.

Explanation -

For the removal of doubts it is hereby declared that the principle of rotation for the purposes of reservation of offices for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under this sub-section shall commence from the first election held after the commencement of the Bihar Panchayat Raj Act, 1993.