Duration of Municipalities and filling up of vacancies

DURATION OF MUNICIPALITIES AND TILLING UP OF VACANCIES.—

1. (1) Every Municipality, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer.
2. (2) An election to constitute a Municipality shall be completed,-
   • (a) before the expiry of its duration specified in sub-section (1); or
   • (b) before the expiration of a period of six months from the date of its dissolution; as the case may be: Provided that where the remainder of the period for which the dissolved Municipality would have continued is less than six months, it shall not be necessary to hold any election for constituting the Municipality for such period.
3. (3) A Municipality constituted upon the dissolution of a Municipality before the expiration of its duration shall continue only for the remainder of the period for which the dissolved Municipality would have continued under sub-section(1), had it not be so dissolved. (3 A) A casual vacancy in the office of a Councillor shall be reported directly by the Secretary concerned to the State Election Commission within seven days from the date of occurrence of that vacancy and the Secretary who fails to report so without proper reason shall be punishable with a fine which may extend to one thousand rupees and for which the State Election Commission shall have power to initiate the prosecution steps.
4. (4) Election to fill a casual vacancy in the office of a Councillor shall be held by the State Election Commission within six months, after the occurence of that vacancy; Provided that it shall not be necessary to hold an election to fill a vacancy, the duration of which is less than six months.
5. (6) A Councillor elected to fill a casual vacancy shall be eligible to hold office for the remaining term of the person in whose place he was elected.