Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson

(1) Every Council shall have a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson, who shall be elected from amongst the Councillors who are elected. (2) Within ten days from the date on which the names of Councillors elected to a Councill are published, or as the case may be, first published, under sub-section (1) of section 20, in the Official Gazette, the Director shall convene a special meeting of the Councillors for election of a Chairperson and Vice-chairperson: Provided that such meetings shall not be held before the expiry of the term of office of outgoing Councillors as determined under section 42. (3) The meeting called under sub-section (2) shall be presided over by the Collector or such officer as the Director may by order in writing appoint in this behalf. The Director or such officer shall, when presiding over such meeting, have the same powers as the Chairperson of a Council when presiding over a meeting of the Council has, but shall not have the right to vote: Provided that notwithstanding anything contained in this Act for regulating procedure at meetings (including the quorum required thereat), the Director or the officer presiding over such meeting may, for reasons which in his opinion are sufficient, refuse to adjourn such meeting. (4) If, in the election of the Chairperson or the Vice-Chairperson, there is an equality of votes, the result of the election shall be decided by lots to be drawn in the presence of the Director or the officer presiding in such manner as he may determine. (5) Any dispute regarding election of the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson shall be referred to the Administrative Tribunal, whose decision in that behalf shall be final. (6) [omitted]. (7) [omitted]. (8) If, during the term of a Council, there is a vacancy in the office of a Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson due to any reason whatsoever, the same procedure as prescribed in sub-sections (2) to (5) shall apply except— (a) that the special meeting shall be called by the Director within ten days from the date on which the vacancy occurs; and (b) [omitted]. (9) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, a person who has been redered disqualified under section 61A of the Act to be Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson, he shall not be qualified to be elected as Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson of the concerned municipal Council for a period of five years from the date of such disqualification.