No person shall contest the election to any Panchayat with the support, direct or indirect, of any political party.

Penalty Penalty. (1) Any person who soon after the expiry of his term or resigning from the office or removal from the office of Sabhapati or Up-Sabhapati or Sachiva of Gram Panchayat or Adhakshya or Upadhakshya of Zilla Panchayat, as the case may be, fails to hand over any document of, or any money or other properties vested in or belonging to, the Gram Panchayat or Zilla Panchayat, as the case may be, which are in his possession or control, to his successor-in-office, shall, on conviction, be punished with a fine which may extend to fifty rupees and in the case of a continuing failure or contravention with an additional fine which may extend to twenty rupees for every day after the first conviction during which he has persisted in the failure or contravention. (2) Any person who wilfully obstructs any member or office bearer or servant of a Gram panchayat or a Zilla Panchayat, as the case may be, in the discharge of his duties or any thing which he is empowered to do shall, on conviction, be punished with a fine which may extend to one hundred rupees. (3) Any person required by this Act or rules made thereunder to furnish any information fails to furnish such information or knowingly furnishes wrong information shall, on conviction, be punished with a fine which may extend to one hundred rupees. (4) Any person who contravenes the provisions of this Act or rules made thereunder for which no penalty is provided for under this Act shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.