Oath of Office

Every Panch elected under Section 44, shall, as soon as possible after his election, take oath of office in the manner prescribed. (1) If at an election the proceedings at any polling station are interrupted or obstructed by any riot or violence or are likely to be so interrupted or obstructed, or if it is not possible to take the poll on account of natural calamity, or any other sufficient cause, the Presiding Officer for such polling station shall announce an adjournment of the Poll to a date to be notified later, and votes already taken for any candidate shall be void, and where the Poll is so adjourned by a Presiding Officer, he shall forthwith inform the Returning Officer concerned. (2) Whenever a Poll is adjourned under sub-rule (1), the Returning Officer shall immediately report the circumstances to the Deputy Commissioner and the Returning Officer shall with his previous approval, appoint the day on which the fresh Poll shall be held, and fix the Polling place at which and the hours during which the Poll shall be taken. (3) Where a Poll is adjourned under sub-rule (1) and a fresh Poll takes place under sub- rule 2 votes shall be taken for all the contesting candidates and the relevant provisions of the election shall apply to every such fresh Poll as they apply to the original Poll.