Definition.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

1. (i) “block panchayat’’ means a block panchayat constituted under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994);
2. (ii) “coalition” means a coalition made between more than one political parties or between more than one political parties and one or more independents or between one political party and one or more than one independents or between more than one independents for the purpose of contesting any election of a local authority. Explanation.—A member who stood as a candidate in an election with the support of any one of the political parties or coalition shall be deemed to be a member included in that political party or coalition;
3. (iii) “council” means the Council of a Town Panchayat, a Municipal Council or a Municipal Corporation;
4. (iv) “councillor” means Councillor elected to the Council of any Municipality, constituted under the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994) ; 1[(iv a) “direction in writing” means a direction in writing, signed with date, issued to a member belonging to, or having the support of, a political party, by the person Received the assent of the Governor on the 5th day of March, 1999 and published in the Kerala Gazette Extraordinary No. 448 dated 5th March, 1999. 1 Inserted by Act 6 of 2013 (w.e.f. 17.01.2012). authorised by the political party from time to time to recommend the symbol of the said political party for contesting in election, for exercising the vote favourably or unfavourably or to abstain from voting;]
5. (v) “district panchayat” means a district panchayat constituted under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994);
6. (vi) “independent” means a person not belonging to any political party;
7. (vii) ‘‘local authority” means a Panchayat at any level or a Municipality;
8. (viii) “member” means a Councillor or a member of a Panchayat at any level elected under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994);
9. (ix) “municipality” means a Town Panchayat, a Municipal Council or a Municipal Corporation, constituted under the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994);
10. (x) “panchayat” means a village panchayat, a block panchayat or a district panchayat;
11. (xi) “political party” means a political party registered under section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 ( Central Act 43 of 1951);
12. (xii) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under this Act;
13. (xiii) “Schedule” means the schedule annexed to this Act;
14. (xiv) “State” means the State of Kerala;
15. (xv) “State Election Commission” means the Stale Election Commissioner appointed by the Governor under article 243K of the Constitution of India;
16. (xvi) “Village Panchayat” means the Village Panchayat constituted under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994) ;
17. (xvii) The words and expressions used but not defined in this Act, and defined in the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994) or in the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994) shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in those Acts.