Chapter VI Chapter VI

Functions, Duties and Powers of Zilla Panchayat Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha

Subject to such conditions as may be specified by the Government from time to time, the Zilla Panchayat shall perform the functions specified in Schedule-II.

1. (1) The Government may assign to a Zilla Panchayat functions in relation to any matters to which the executive authority of the Government extends or in respect of functions which have been assigned to the State Government by the Central Government.
2. (2) The Government may, by notification, withdraw or modify the functions assigned under this section.

1. (1) The Zilla Panchayat shall have the following Committees (hereinafter called the ‘Standing Committees’), namely:—
   • (a) General Standing Committee;
   • (b) Finance, Audit and Planning Committee;
   • (c) Social Justice Committee;
   • (d) Education and Health Committee;
   • (e) Agriculture and Industries Committee;
   • (f) Taluka Development Committee.
2. (2) Each Standing Committee shall consist of such number of members not exceeding five elected by the members of the Zilla Panchayat from amongst the members.
3. (3) The Adhyaksha shall be the Ex-officio Member and Chairman of the General Standing Committee and the Finance, Audit and Planning Committee. The Upadhyaksha shall be the Ex-officio Member and Chairman of the Social Justice Committee. The other Standing Committees shall elect the Chairman from amongst their members.
4. (4) No member of the Zilla Panchayat shall be eligible to serve on more than two Standing Committees.
5. (5) The Chief Executive Officer shall be the Ex-officio Secretary of all the Standing Committees.
6. (6) The Standing Committees shall perform such functions as may be specified in the regulations made by the Zilla Panchayat.

The Zilla Panchayat may by notification, delegate to the Chief Executive Officer or other officer, any of the powers conferred by or under this Act on the Zilla Panchayats.

1. (1) The Zilla Panchayat may, by notification, turn, divert, discontinue or permanently close any road which is under the control and administration of, or is vested in the Zilla Panchayat.
2. (2) Before issuing a notification under sub-section (1), the Zilla Panchayat shall publish in such manner as may be prescribed, a notice of its proposal inviting objections and shall take into consideration any objections received.

1. (1) The Zilla Panchayat shall have powers to do all acts necessary for or incidental to, the carrying out of the functions entrusted or delegated to it and, in particular, and without prejudice to the foregoing powers, to exercise all powers specified under this Act.
2. (2) Subject to the general or special orders of the Government, a Zilla Panchayat may,—
   • (a) incur expenditure on education or medical relief outside its jurisdiction;
   • (b) provide for carrying out any work or measure likely to promote the health, safety, education, comfort, convenience or social or economic or cultural well-being of the inhabitants of the district;
   • (c) contribute to associations of All India, State or Inter-State level, concerned with the promotions of local Government and to exhibitions, seminars and conferences within the district related to the activities of Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat; and
   • (d) render financial or other assistance to any person for carrying on in the district any such activity which is related to any of the functions of the said bodies.

A Zilla Panchayat may subject to such rules as may be prescribed and to the regulations framed by the Zilla Panchayat, notify that any road vested in it shall not be used by any vehicle of such form, construction, weight or size, or laden with such machinery or other unwieldy objects as may be deemed likely to cause injury to the roadway or to any construction thereon or risk or obstructions to other vehicles or to pedestrians except under the license issued by the Chief Executive Officer and in accordance with the regulations framed from time to time as regards speed, time, fees, mode of traction or locomotion, use of appliances for protection of the roadway, number of lights and assistants and other general precautions.

The Adhyaksha of the Zilla Panchayat shall,—

1. (a) convene, preside at and conduct meetings of the Zilla Panchayat;
2. (b) discharge all duties imposed and exercise all the powers conferred on him by or under this Act or perform such functions entrusted to him by the Government from time to time;
3. (c) exercise such administrative supervision and control over the Chief Executive Officer for securing implementation of resolutions or decisions of the Zilla Panchayat or of the Standing Committees which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, or any general or specific directions issued under this Act;
4. (d) exercise overall supervision over the financial and executive administration of the Zilla Panchayat and place before the Zilla Panchayat all the questions connected therewith which shall appear to him to require its order and for this purpose may call for records of the Zilla Panchayat; and
5. (e) have power to accord sanction up to a total sum of rupees one lakh in a year for the purpose of providing immediate relief to those who are affected by natural calamities in the district: Provided that the Adhyaksha shall place at the next meeting of the Zilla Panchayat for its ratification, the details of such sanctions.

The Upadhyaksha of the Zilla Panchayat shall,—

1. (a) exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Adhyaksha when he is absent on leave or incapacitated from functioning; and
2. (b) in the absence of the Adhyaksha, preside over the meetings of the Zilla Panchayat.

1. (1) Every contract or agreement entered into on behalf of the Zilla Panchayat, shall be binding on the Zilla Panchayat only if the said contract or agreement is executed in accordance with the provisions of this section.
2. (2) The Chief Executive Officer shall execute contract or agreement on behalf of the Zilla Panchayat in respect of matter which he is empowered to carry out under the provisions of this Act. He may execute such contract or agreement on behalf of the Zilla Panchayat upto such amount of value of contract or agreement as may be specified by the Government from time to time. In the other cases, he shall execute a contract or agreement only with the sanction of the Zilla Panchayat.