Term of offices of Sarpanch and Panch of a Gram Panchayat shall, have as otherwise providing in this Act, co terminate with the term of the Gram Panchayat.
15 .. Term of office of Gram Panchayat. (1) Every Gram Panchayat unless dissolved earlier under . this Act, shall continue for a term of five years from the date of its first meeting.
5 [Explanation.- After the Sarpanch and the Panches have taken oath as provided under section 13, a meeting of the Gram Panchayat shall be held at the earliest and such meeting shall be deemed to be the first meeting of the Gram Pancbayat for the purpose of this sub-section.]
(2) No amendment of any law for the time being in force shall have the effect of causing dissolution of a Gram 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 Gram Panchayat shall be completed-
(a) before the expiration of term of its duration specified in sub-section (1);
(b) before the expiry of period of six mouths from ~e date of its dissolution:
Provided that where the remainder of the period for which the dissolved Gram Panchayat would have continued is less than six months, it shall not be necessary to bold any election under this clause for constituting the Gram Panchayat for such period.
(4) A Gram Panchayat constituted upon the dissolution of a Gram Panchayat before the expiration of its duration, shall continue only for remainder of the period for which the dissolved Gram Panchayat would have continued under sub section (1) had it not been so dissolved.
' 1 Substituted for section 13 vide Punjab Act No. 12 of2008.
2 Substituted for the words "Every election of a Panch" Punjab Act No. 4 of2012. (w.e.f. 21.5.2012) 3 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 4 of 2012. (w.e.f. 21.5.2012).
4 Section 13-A omitted by Punjab Act No. 4 of 2012. (w.e.f. 21.5.2012, prior to omission Section 13-A was read as under: 13-A. First meeting of the Gram panchayat.- The Deputy Commissioner or any officer or official of the State Government, authorised by him in this behalf, shall call the first meeting of the Gram Pancbayat in tne manner, as may be prescribed, as soon as, the election of all Panches is notified, to elect the Sarpanch from amongst them.]
5 Added vide Punjab Act No. 12 of 2008, Jateron substituted by Punjab Act No. 4 of 2012 Ow.e.f. 21.5.2012), Prior to substitution Explanation was read as under. "Explanation.- After the Sarpanch is sleeted, a meeting of the Gram Panchayat shall be held by him at the earliest possible and such meeting shall be deemed to be the "first meeting" of the Gram Panchayat for purpose of this sub-section."
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