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

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 21st March 1980 or such earlier date as may be notified by the State Government under sub-section

1. (3) of section 1 (hereinafter in this Act referred to as "the said period"), no general election to any panchayat and no by-election to fill any casual vacancy in any panchayat, shall be held;
   • (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, 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 reconstituted panchayat, at which a quorum is present.