Chapter I PRELIMINARY

Short title, extent and commencement

1. (1) This Act may be called The Mizoram (Village Councils) Act, 2025.
2. (2) It shall extend to the whole of Mizoram except the areas under the jurisdiction of the Municipal, Lai, Mara and Chakma autonomous District Councils.
3. (3) It shall come into force from the date of publication in the official Gazette.

Definition. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -

1. (1) "Administrator" means an official designated as such by the State Government for fulfilling the mandate of this Act;
2. (2) "Biological resources" shall have the same meaning as assigned to them under section 2
   • (c) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002;
3. (3) "Block" means Rural Development Block;
4. (4) "Casual vacancy" means vacancy of Village Council seats which occur out of death of members or by any other reason not specifically given;
5. (5) "Community assets" means any assets or property which by custom belongs to or has been administered for the benefit of the villagers in common, or has been created through contribution of voluntary labour by the villagers, or has been created from any public funds or scheme of the central or state Government for the purpose to be such assets;
6. (6) "Constitution" means the Constitution of India;
7. (7) "Deputy Commissioner" means the Deputy Commissioners of the Districts of Mizoram;
8. (8) "District" means administrative districts of Mizoram which have been declared by the State Government;
9. (9) "Elector" means a person who has enrolled himself/herself in the electoral roll of the Village Council;
10. (10) "Electoral roll" means an authenticated list containing details of electors of a Village Council;
11. (11) "Executive Committee" means the 'Executive Committee' of the Village Council;
12. (12) "Hnatlang" means a common service for the common good of the village which the residents of the village have to render;
13. (13) "Khawper" means a hamlet or a satellite settlement within Village Council jurisdiction for the purpose of occupation;
14. (14) "Leipui" means a subsidiary jhum cultivation;
15. (15) "Lo" means a jhum cultivation;
16. (16) "Office of profit" means a regular payment made in the form of salary or wages;
17. (17) "Phatna" means commutation in lieu of attending hnatlang;
18. (18) "President" means an elected head of a village council;
19. (19) "Fine" means a customary fine imposed by a village council for non-participation in the village Hnatlang without phatna;
20. (20) "Scheduled Tribe or Tribes" means such tribes or tribal communities enumerated in part-X of Mizoram of the Constitution (Schedule Tribes) Order, 1950 conferred by clause
21. (1) of article 342 of the constitution;
22. (21) "Secretary" means a non-elected official, appointed by the State Government on the recommendation of the Executive committee of the village Council, to assist village Council activities;
23. (22) "Social Audit" means the examination and assessment of performance or achievement of a Village Council with the active involvement of the residents of the village in which official records and actual implementation are compared and scrutinized;
24. (23) "State Election Commission" means the State Election Commission constituted by the Government of Mizoram vide Memo No. B - 13017/1/2008 - UD&PA(M) Dt. 28th August 2009 under article 243K of the Constitution of India;
25. (24) "State Government" means the Government of Mizoram;
26. (25) "Subvillage" means a separate village under a parent Village Council having its own elected body recognized by the State Government;
27. (26) "Thlawhbiwk" means a temporary settlement created for the sole purpose of jhumming in a certain area for a specified period;
28. (27) "Tlingau" means a village crier;
29. (28) "Treasurer" means an elected official of a Village Council who is responsible for keeping and maintaining the funds and accounts of the village council;
30. (29) "Tuikhur" means any place wherein water supply is obtained;
31. (30) "Unauthorized settlement" means any settlement or habitation other than those duly created or recognised by the State Government or those settlements or habitations not included in the list of villages or sub villages published by the State Government from time to time;
32. (31) "User charge" means a charge/charges and services for the use of any community assets and services;
33. (32) "Vantlang Inkhawm" (Gram Sabha) means a body consisting of persons registered in the Electoral Rolls relating to the Village Council;
34. (33) "Vice President" means an elected official of a Village Council who is empowered to act as President during the absence of president;
35. (34) "Village" means an area declared as such by the Government of Mizoram by Notification in the Official Gazette;
36. (35) "Village Council" means a Village Council constituted under section 3 of this Act;
37. (36) "Village Population Register" means population register maintained by every Village Council.