Temporary postponement of certain elections to panchayats and extension of term of office of members and administrators thereof

Notwithstanding anything contained in the Panchayats Act or any rules or by-laws made thereunder,—

1. (a) during the period from the date of commencement of this Act upto; and inclusive of, the 31st day of March 1988 or such earlier date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify (hereinafter in this Act referred to as “the said period”), no general election to a panchayat, and no by-election to fill any casual vacancy in any panchayat, including the elections of such panchayats, the dates for various stages of which have been fixed by the Collector, Tahsildar or any other officers, shall be held;
2. (b) the term of office (including any extended term of office) of the members (whether elected or appointed) of any panchayat, or of the administrator or administrators of any panchayat, who were in office on the day immediately preceding the date of commencement of this Act (whether their term has expired before or will expire on or after the said date at any time during the said period), shall be deemed to have been extended or to be extended as the case may be, and every such member or administrator shall continue to hold office during the said period : Provided that, after the expiry of the term of office of the members or the administrators as so extended by this section, they shall continue in office until the first meeting of the re-constituted panchayat, at which a quorum is present.