Chapter XII Chapter XII

Penalties

Penalties for breach of Rules.–

1. (1) In making any rule under this Act, the Government may provide that a breach thereof shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or in case of a continuing breach, with fine not exceeding fifty rupees for every day during which the breach continues after conviction for the first breach.
2. (2) Any such rule may also provide that the person convicted shall be required to remedy, so far as may be, the mischief, if any, caused by the breach.

Bye-laws and penalties for their breach.–

1. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act and of any other law and to such rules as may be prescribed, a Village Panchayat or a Panchayat Union Council may, with the approval of the Inspector, make bye-laws for carrying out any of the purposes for which it is constituted.
2. (2) A Village Panchayat or a Panchayat Union Council may, by bye-laws, provide that any person who contravenes the provisions of any bye-law shall be punishable with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, and in case of a continuing breach, with fine which may extend to fifty rupees for every day during which the breach continues after conviction for the first breach.
3. (3) The power to make bye-laws under this section shall be subject to the condition of previous publication.

General provisions regarding penalties specified in the schedules.-

1. (1) The punishments for the offences specified in the Schedule-I shall be as indicated in the fourth column thereof.
2. (2) Whoever contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or of any rule, bye-law, regulation or order made or issued under this Act, whether or not such contravention is an offence specified in the Schedule-I, shall, if no penalty is provided for such contravention in this Act, be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.
3. (3) The Executive Authority or the Commissioner, as the case may be, may, subject to the approval of the Panchayat concerned, compound any offence against this Act or against any rule, bye-law, regulation or order made under this Act, which is specified in the Schedule-II.

Penalty for acting as Member, President or Vice President of a Village Panchayat or as Member, Chairman or Vice Chairman of a Panchayat Union Council or District Panchayat when disqualified.-

1. (1) Any person who acts as a Member, President or Vice President of a Village Panchayat or as a Member, Chairman or Vice Chairman of a Panchayat Union Council or District Panchayat knowing that he is not entitled or has ceased to be entitled to hold such office, shall be punishable with fine not exceeding two hundred rupees for every day on which he sits or votes as such member, President, Vice President or Chairman.
2. (2) Any person who holds office as a Member, President or Vice President of a Village

Penalty for acquisition by an officer or servant of interest in contract work Penalty for acquisition by an officer or servant of interest in contract work.—If any officer or servant of a Panchayat knowingly acquires, directly or indirectly, by himself or by a partner, employer or employee, any personal share or interest in any contract or employment with, by or on behalf of the Panchayat, he shall be deemed to have committed an offence under section 168 of the Indian Penal Code (Central Act XLV of 1860): Provided that no person shall by reason of being a shareholder in, or member of, any company, be held to be interested in any contract entered into between the company and the Panchayat unless he is a director of such company:

Wrongful restraint of Executive Authority or Commissioner or Secretary or his delegates Wrongful restraint of Executive Authority or Commissioner or Secretary or his delegates.—Any person who prevents the Executive Authority or the Commissioner or the Secretary or any person to whom the Executive Authority or the Commissioner or the Secretary lawfully delegates his powers of entering on or inspecting any land, building, or place, from exercising his lawful power of entering thereon or inspecting shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.

Prohibition against obstruction of Panchayats.—Whoever wilfully obstructs a Village Panchayat, Panchayat Union Council or District Panchayat or the President, Chairman or the Executive Authority or Commissioner or Secretary or any person lawfully employed by or acting under the direction of any of the above mentioned authorities in the exercise of powers lawfully conferred on it or him by or under this Act, shall be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees.

Prohibition against removal or obliteration of notice.—Whoever, without authority in that behalf, removes, destroys, defaces or otherwise obliterates any notice exhibited or any sign or mark posted by or under the orders of a Village Panchayat, Panchayat Union Council or District Panchayat or its Executive Authority, Commissioner or Secretary, shall be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees.

Penalty for not giving information or giving false information.- Any person required by this Act, or by any notice or other proceedings issued thereunder, to furnish any information, who omits to furnish such information or knowingly furnishes false information shall be punishable with fine not exceeding one hundred rupees.