Constitution of Gram Panchayat

Constitution of Gram Panchayat –

1. (1) Every Gram Panchayat shall consist of elected panchas and Sarpanch.
2. (2) If any village or ward, as the case may be, does not elect any Sarpanch or Panch then proceedings for new election to fill that place shall be started within six months in such village or ward, as the case may be: Provided that due to pending election of Sarpanch under this sub-section the elected Panch shall, subject to the provisions of sub-section (2),
3. (3) and
4. (4) of section 17, elect one Sarpanch from amongst themselves in the first meeting under section 20, who shall discharge all the duties of Sarpanch under this Act until the elected Sarpanch under this sub-section takes charge: Provided further that further proceedings for the constitution of Gram Panchayat shall not be stopped due to pending election of Panch under this sub-section: Provided further that if any village or ward does not re-elect any Sarpanch or any Panch, as the case may be, then proceedings for new election of Panch in such village or such ward, as the case may be, shall not be started until the State Election Commission is satisfied that there is a possibility of electing Sarpanch or Panch from such village or from such ward, as the case may be, and if the Commission decides that new election of Sarpanch may not be held, then the elected Sarpanch under the first proviso shall continue to discharge all the duties of Sarpanch under this Act. (4)
   • (one) In every Gram Panchayat –
   • (a) scheduled castes, and
   • (b) scheduled tribes, seats shall be reserved and the number of such reserved seats shall bear as nearly as may be the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in that Gram Panchayat as the population of the scheduled castes or of the scheduled tribes in that Gram Panchayat area bears to the total population of that Gram Panchayat area, and such seats may be allotted by the prescribed authority to different wards in that Gram Panchayat in the prescribed manner.
   • (two) In a Gram Panchayat where less than fifty percent or twenty-five percent seats are reserved for both scheduled castes and scheduled tribes respectively, then 25% of the total number of seats shall be reserved for other backward classes and such seats shall be allotted by the Collector in rotation to different wards of that Gram Panchayat in the prescribed manner.
5. (5) Not less than one-half of the total number of seats reserved under sub-section
6. (4) shall be reserved for women of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes or other backward classes, as the case may be.
7. (6) Not less than one-half of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Gram Panchayat, including the number of seats reserved for women of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by the prescribed authority by drawing lots and in rotation to different wards in the Gram Panchayat in the prescribed manner.
8. (7) Such wards which do not have any population of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes or other backward classes, shall be excluded from the allotment of seats reserved for scheduled castes or scheduled tribes or other backward classes, as the case may be.