Repeal and transitory provision

(1)On and from the date this Act comes into force, the Punjab Village Panchayat Act, 1939 as extended to the Union territory of Delhi, shall be deemed to be repealed in respect of areas to which this Act applies, and the Panchayats, if any, established thereunder in such areas shall be abolished, their funds and other properties, if any, shall vest in and their liabilities shall be transferred to such Gaon Sabha as may be established in the said areas under this Act and the suits, if any, pending on such date before the Panchayats shall be transferred to the Circle of Panchayats, if any, established in those areas or where no such Circle Panchayats exists to that civil court of lowest grade having jurisdiction therein. The criminal cases, if any, pending on such date before the Panchayats shall be transferred to the District Magistrate. (2) Any act done by a Panchayat established under the Punjab Village Panchayat Act, 1939 as extended to the Union territory of Delhi shall be deemed to have been done under this Act until Gaon Sabha or a Circle Panchayat is established in that Panchayati Area. A Gaon Sabha, a Gaon Panchayat and a Circle Panchayat shall after their establishment start functioning on and from a date which the Chief Commissioner may by general or special order fix in this behalf.