The Telangana District Boards Act, 1955

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General1955217 sections

The Telangana District Boards Act, 1955 provides a legal framework for local self-governance across rural districts in the state. It regulates the establishment, election, and operational administration of District Boards, defining their powers to manage essential public amenities. The Act applies to rural residents, property owners, and commercial operators outside major municipal corporations and cantonment zones. It mandates District Boards to oversee public health, sanitation, water security, local road infrastructure, primary education facilities, public markets, and epidemic control. By enabling local revenue collection through cesses, taxes, and fees, the legislation empowers elected local representatives to foster rural development effectively.

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1. Short title, extent and commencement.
2. Definitions.
3. Power to except areas from the provisions of this Act.
4. Establishment of Boards.
5. Board to be deemed to be a corporate body.
6. Constitution of Boards.
7. Delimitation of Constituencies and determination of number of members.
8. Qualification of voters.
9. Preparation of list of voters and period of operation of the list.
10. Effect of possessing qualification in more than one constituency.
11. Elections when to be held.
12. Disqualification for corrupt practice.
13. Qualification for being elected as a member.
14. Disqualification for being elected as a member.
15. Appeals from decisions of Returning Officers.
16. Disqualification for continuing as member.
17. Prohibition of simultaneous representation.
18. Reference to the Election Tribunal.
19. Publication of the names in the Official Gazette.
20. Election petition.
21. Presentation of petitions.
22. Parties to the petition.
23. Appointment of Election Tribunal.
24. Powers of the Tribunal.
25. Decision of the Tribunal.
26. Other orders to be made by the Tribunal.
27. Grounds for declaring election to be void.
28. Grounds for which a candidate other than the returned candidate may be declared to have been elected.
29. Procedure in case of an equality of votes.
30. Communication of orders to the Collector and the transmission of the records of the case.
31. Difference of opinion among the Members of the Tribunal.
32. Orders of the Tribunal to be final and conclusive.
33. Orders to take effect only on publication.
34. Term of office.
35. Procedure when no member is elected.
36. Election of President and Vice-President.
37. Vacancy in the office of the President or Vice-President.
38. Resignation of President or Vice-President or Member.
39. Removal of members for misconduct, etc.
40. Filling up of casual vacancies.
41. Board to appoint Committees.
42. Functions of Committees.
43. Sub-Committees.
44. Joint Committees.
45. Functions and emergency powers of President.
46. Functions of the Vice-President.
47. Consequence of absence of President or Vice-President without leave.
48. Executive powers vested in the Executive Officer of the Board.
49. Meetings of Board.
50. Notice of meetings.
51. Quorum.
52. Meetings open to public.
53. Decisions how arrived at.
54. Bar of transaction of business.
55. Bar of modifying or cancelling the resolution.
56. Motions and amendments.
57. Conduct of ordinary meetings.
58. Moving of Resolution.
59. Preservation of order.
60. Members when to abstain from voting or taking part in decision.
61. Minutes.
62. Section 62
63. Rights of individual members.
64. Certain Government Officers to attend meeting of the Board.
65. Vacancy or irregularities not to invalidate the proceedings.
66. Property vested in the Board.
67. Acquisition of land for Board.
68. Management of public institutions.
69. Transfer of Board’s property to the Government.
70. Other transfers of Board’s property.
71. Auctions.
72. Saving of the Local Authorities Loans Act, 1352 F.
73. Mode of making contracts.
74. Improper interest in contracts.
75. Penalty for improper interest in contracts.
76. Bar of suit in respect of act done in good faith.
77. Bar of suit in absence of notice.
78. Liability for loss, waste or misappropriation of money or property.
79. Power of Board to compromise suits.
80. Duties of Boards.
81. Discretionary powers of a Board.
82. Powers to enter and inspect, buildings, etc.
83. Insanitary buildings.
84. Powers with regard to sources of water.
85. Remedy on non-compliance with directions issued.
86. Power to set apart public springs, etc. for certain purposes and to prohibit use of water from certain sources.
87. Penalty for using places set apart for other purposes.
88. Abatement of nuisance from foul water.
89. Closing of places for the disposal of the dead.
90. Registration of burial and cremation grounds.
91. Licensing of places for the disposal of the dead.
92. Provision of burial and cremation grounds and crematoria.
93. President, etc. to have power of entry for inspection into buildings, etc., where infectious disease exists.
94. Board to notify places for washing and disinfecting articles exposed to infection.
95. Information regarding infectious disease.
96. Obstructions and encroachments upon public road, land or building.
97. Prohibition of hotels, restaurants, tea-shops, etc., and offensive or dangerous trade without licence.
98. Power to regulate slaughter of animals for sale.
99. Power to take measures against cattle disease.
100. Prevention of rabies and disposal of mad and stray dogs.
101. Dangerous quarrying, blasting, felling trees or cutting timber or building.
102. Permission necessary for erecting buildings and for construction, establishment or installation of factory, workshop or workplace.
103. Regional and Town Planning.
104. Notification of sanction of plan or lay-out.
105. Variation or revocation of plan or lay-out.
106. Limitation of compensation payable to persons affected by variation or revocation of the plan or lay-out.
107. Obligation of owners to comply with plan or lay-out after sanction.
108. Penalty for breach of the provisions of any regional or town plan or lay-out.
109. Powers of entry, etc.
110. Application of the Hyderabad Land Acquisition Act, 1309 F. to immovable property required for plan or lay-out.
111. Declaration of an area for mosquito control.
112. Prohibition of mosquito breeding in collection of water.
113. Treatment of mosquito breeding places.
114. Health Officer’s powers in case of default.
115. Protection of anti-mosquito works.
116. Prohibition of interference with such works.
117. Power of Health staff to enter and inspect premises.
118. Penalty for breach of section 113.
119. Penalty for breach of section 115.
120. Penalty for breach of section 116.
121. Public markets.
122. Closing of public markets.
123. Licensing of private markets.
124. Term of such licences.
125. Procedure when Board delays grant of licence.
126. Penalties.
127. Constitution of District Fund.
128. Custody and investment of the District Fund.
129. Application of Fund.
130. Standing Committee and Budget Estimates.
131. Exempting Boards from obtaining Government approval for estimates.
132. Expenditure from the balance of previous years.
133. Accounts.
134. Inspection of accounts by the public.
135. Section 135
136. Section 136
137. Section 137
138. Special tax on property.
138A. Section 138A
139. Other taxes.
140. Procedure in imposing taxes.
141. Procedure for abolishing or varying taxes
142. Procedure for suspension of or exemption from taxes
143. Powers to charge fees for licences and for use of certain lands and buildings
144. Power to call for information
145. Assessment not invalid for defect of form
146. Bar of other proceedings
147. Presentation of bill for amount of tax
148. In what cases warrant may issue / If bill not paid within thirty days notice of demand to issue
149. Warrant by whom to be signed
150. To whom warrant should be addressed
151. Power of entry under special order
152. Warrant how to be executed
153. Sale of goods distrained / Application of proceeds of sale / Surplus, if any, how dealt with
154. Distraint and sale outside the district
155. Fees and costs chargeable
156. Appeal to Munsiff Magistrate
157. Liability of lands, buildings, etc, for tax
158. Power to seize animals, goods or vehicles on non-payment of toll / Power to sell property seized at once / Release of property on payment
159. Farming of tolls / Persons employed by the lessee of toll to have power of seizure
160. Receipts to be given for all payments
161. Recovery of arrears of taxes and other dues
162. Limitation for recovery proceedings
163. Refunds
164. Application of the Hyderabad Civil Service Regulations and certain other rules
165. Appointment of officers and servants
166. Hyderabad Local Government Service
167. Delegation of power to engage officers and servants
168. Power of Government to prevent extravagance in establishment
169. Punishment and dismissal of the employees
170. Power of Government to transfer officers and servants of Board
171. Residuary powers of the Board over subordinates
172. Members, Officers, etc., to be public servants
173. Power of Collector to inspect and call for documents
174. Collector’s power of suspending execution of orders, etc., of Board
175. Extraordinary powers of Government and Collector in cases of emergency.
176. Power of Government to provide for performance of duties in default of Board.
177. Dissolution and reconstitution of Board.
178. Power of Government to enforce order passed by Government or other authorities.
179. Disputes between Boards and other Local Bodies.
180. Appointment of technical and inspecting officers for whole of the State.
181. Delegation of powers by Government.
182. Control of Revenue Officers.
182-A. Power of the Government to dissolve and reconstitute District Boards on the alteration of limits of the districts.
182-B. Vesting of property, etc., of Boards which have been dissolved, in reconstituted Board.
183. Service of notices, etc., addressed to individuals.
184. Service of notices on owners or occupiers of buildings and land.
185. Publication of public and general notices.
186. Defective form of notice; fixation of reasonable time and consequence of non-compliance.
187. Punishment for disobedience to orders and notices not punishable under any other section.
188. Board in default of owner or occupier may execute work and recover expenses. Power to levy charges on occupier, who may deduct the same from his rent. Occupiers not to be liable for more than the amount of rent due.
189. Expenses or costs how determined and recovered.
190. Bar of appeal.
191. Appeals to Collector against certain orders.
192. Limitation for appeal.
193. Form of appeal and stay of proceedings and of execution.
194. Decision of Collector in appeal.
195. Powers of revision.
196. Cognizance of offence.
197. Board may prosecute.
198. Power to compound offence.
199. General provisions regarding rules.
200. Matters as to which rules may be made.
201. Bye-laws.
202. Matters as to which bye-laws may be made.
203. Power of Government to transfer powers and functions of Panchayats to Boards and vice-versa.
204. Mode of proof of records.
205. Restrictions on summoning servants of the Board to produce documents.
206. Power of Board to call for evidence.
207. Powers and duties of police in respect of offences and assistance to authorities.
208. Power of Board to delegate its powers.
209. Effect of this Act upon the Hyderabad Cattle Trespass Act V of 1337 Fasli.
210. Repeal and savings.
Explanation to section 74 (transcribed from page 57). Explanation regarding interest in contracts
unnumbered-1. Section unnumbered-1
198(2). Section 198(2)
198(3). Section 198(3)

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