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7.2 Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fixation of Strength of Members and Division of Wards) Rules,1995 (G.O. (Ms) No. 130 Rural Development (C.II) Department, dated 18th July 1995) In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 242 of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994), the Governor of Tamil Nadu hereby makes the following Rules - RULES
1. Short title - These Rules may be called the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fixation of Strength of Members and Division of Wards) Rules, 1995.
2. Definition — In there Rules unless the context otherwise requires, -
(1) “Act” Means the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994) ; and
(2) All other words and expressions used in these Rules but not defined therein shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Act.
3. Fixation of Strength of members of Panchayat
(1) Village Panchayats. – The members to be elected from the Wards in every Village Panchayat shall be fixed with reference to the population of such Panchayat Village as per the scale given below: - Population No. of members
(1) (2) 500 and above upto and inclusive of 2,000 6 Over 2,000 and upto and inclusive of 6,000 9 Over 6,000 and upto and inclusive of 10,000 12 Over 10,000 15
(2) Panchayat Union Councils - The number of members to be elected from the Wards in every Panchayat Union Council shall be fixed at the rate of one member as far as practicable, for every five thousand population of that Panchayat Union area.
(3) District Panchayat—The number of members to be elected from the Territorial Wards of every District Panchayat shall be fixed at the rate of one member, as far as practicable. for every fifty thousand population of that District Panchayat area.
4. Division of Wards and allocation of seats
(1) Village Panchayat – (1) For the purposes of the elections of the members of Village Panchayats, area of every Panchayat Village shall be divided into convenient number of Territorial Constituencies known as Wards depending upon the number of inhabited areas in the Panchayat Village, their population and their geographical locations.
(2) The number of Wards in every Panchayat Village shall not be less than two or more than five.
(3) Every Ward so divided under sub-Rule (1) shall be compact, contiguous and of easily recognizable areas like localities, colonies, habitations, hamlets. etc., and also comprised in as far as practicable full house numbering blocks.
(4) The number of members determined for a Village Panchayat shall be allocated among the Wards so divided in such manner that the ratio between the population of each Ward and the number of members allocated to it the purposes of election shall, as far as practicable, be the same throughout the Panchayat Village area:
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Provided that where uniform ratios between the population of a Ward and the number of members allocated to it could not be ensured due to practical difficulties like unequal distribution of population or peculiar geographical location of inhabited areas and as such it has become necessary to deviate from the aforesaid ratio in respect of any particular Ward or wards, such deviation shall not exceed twenty-five percent either way:
Provided further that the number of members that may be allocated to a Ward shall not exceed three.
Explanation – Where the population figures in relation to any census are not available in respect of any Ward of a Panchayat Village, the Inspector may determine the population of such area with reference to the voting strength of the area as per the relevant portion of the current electoral roll of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Constituency.
(2) Panchayat Union Council - For the purpose of election of members, area of every Panchayat Union shall be divided into as many Territorial Constituencies know as “ward” as the total number of members to be elected to the Panchayat Union Council in such manner.——-
(a) that every Ward of a Panchayat Union shall, as far as practicable, have equal population ; and
(b) that every Ward of a Panchayat Union shall as far as practicable, be contiguous, compact and comprise one or more Panchayat Village generally. Where it is not practically possibly to secure such contiguous and compact area with the required population in one or more Panchayat Villages, the Panchayat Union Ward may comprise portion or portions of Panchayat Villages, which are full Ward or Wards of such Panchayat Village.
(3) District Panchayat – For the purpose of election of members, area of every district Panchayat shall be divided into as many territorial Constituencies known as “Territorial Wards”, as the total number of members to be elected to that District Panchayat in such manner—
(a) that each Territorial Ward as far as practicable has equal population;
(b) that each Territorial Ward as far as practicable be contiguous, compact and comprised one or more full Panchayat Union Wards, and
(c) that no Panchayat Village in any such Union Ward shall lie in the jurisdiction of more than one such Territorial Ward.
5. Determination of Population —For the first election to be held immediately after the commencement of the Act, the provisional population figures as published in relation to 1991 census shall be deemed to be the population.
J.T. ACHARYULU SPECIAL COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT
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