Duration of Zilla Panchayat

(1) Every Zilla Panchayat, save as otherwise provided in this Act, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer. (2) No amendment of any law for the time being in force shall have the effect of causing dissolution of a Zilla Panchayat, which is functioning immediately before such amendment, till the expiration of its duration specified in sub-section (1). (3) An election to constitute a Zilla Panchayat shall be completed— (a) before the expiry of its duration specified in sub-section (1); (b) in case of dissolution, before the expiration of a period of six months from the date of such dissolution: Provided that where the remainder of the period for which the dissolved Zilla Panchayat would have continued is less than six months, it shall be not necessary to hold any election under this clause for constituting the Zilla Panchayat for such period. (4) A Zilla Panchayat constituted upon the dissolution of a Zilla Panchayat before the expiration of its duration shall continue only for the remainder of the period for which the dissolved Zilla Panchayat would have continued under sub-section (1) had it not been so dissolved. (5) When a new Zilla Panchayat is thus duly constituted the old Zilla Panchayat shall stand dissolved.