Insertion of new sections 23A and 23B

After the existing section 23 in the principal Act, the following shall be inserted, namely: "23A. Reservation of seats in Municipalities (1) Seats in every Municipality shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and women, including women from the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, in accordance with the provisions contained in clauses (1) to (3) of article 243-T of the Constitution. (2) Within 90 days from the commencement of this Amendment Act, the Government shall notify in the official gazette the number of seats in every Municipality that ought to have been reserved for the categories of persons included in clause (1) in the first elections to the Municipalities held in the State in December, 2004. (3) With 180 days from the commencement of this Amendment Act, the Government shall notify in the official gazette the allotment of seats to be reserved for the categories of persons included in clause (1) by rotation to different wards in a Municipality. (4) All members not belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes who were directly elected from those wards in the Municipalities which have become reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled tribes, and all male members who were directly elected from those wards in the Municipalities which have become reserved for women, including women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Schedules Tribes, under clauses (1) to (3) of article 243-T of the Constitution, shall be deemed to have vacated their seats upon notification of the reservation of seats under clause (3). (5) Upon vacation of seats under clause (4), the Government shall constitute, under article 243-S of the Constitution by notification, as many number of single member Committee as are equal to the number of such members who have vacated their seats, and designate them as Chairman of such Committee with specific functions. The Chairman so designated shall thereupon be deemed to have become members of the respective Municipality under article 243-R (2) (a) (iv) of the Constitution. (6) The provisions contained in clause (4) and (5) shall cease to have effect with the dissolution of the Municipalities constituted out of the first elections to the Municipalities held in December, 2004. 23B. Reservation of offices of Chairpersons in Municipalities for SCs, STs and women. The offices of the Chairpersons shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and women, as nearly as may be, in proportion to the number of seats reserved for them in the Municipalities and the allotment of such offices shall be made by rotation."