Removal of member of Gram Panchayat.

(1) The prescribed authority may, after giving an opportunity, to a member of a Gram Panchayat to show cause against the action proposed to be taken against him, by order remove him from office if- (a) after his election he is convicted by a criminal court of an offence involving moral turpitude and punishable with imprisonment for a period of more than six months; or (b) he was disqualified to be a member of the Gram Panchayat at the time of his election; or (c) he incurs any of the disqualifications mentioned in section 16, after his election as a member of the Gram Panchayat; or (d) he is absent from three consecutive meetings of the Gram Panchayat without the leave of the Gram Panchayat. (2) Any member of a Gram Panchayat who is removed from his office by the prescribed authority under sub-section (1) may, within a period of thirty days from the date of the order, appeal to the Secretary to the Government of Sikkim in the Rural Development Department who may stay the operation of the order till the disposal of the appeal and may, after giving notice of the appeal to the prescribed authority and after giving the appellant an opportunity of being heard, modify, set aside or confirm the order. Explanation:- For the purpose of this sub-section, the term "Secretary" will mean only the Secretary. (3) The order passed by such authority on such appeal shall be final.