(1) Every Gram Panchayat unless sooner dissolved 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 Gram Panchayat, which is functioning immediately before such amendment, till the expiration of its duration specified in sub-section (1).
(3) The General Election to constitute a Gram Panchayat shall be completed------
(a) before the expiration of its duration specified in sub-section
(1); and 1 Inserted by The Tripura Panchayat (Second Amendment) Act, 1998 Duration of Gram Panchayat and term of office of members of Gram Panchayat 21
(b) in case of dissolution, before the expiration of a period of six months from the 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 hold any election under this clause for constituting the Gram Panchayat for such period.
(4) The term of office of the members of a Gram Panchayat elected at a General Election specified under sub-section (1) of Section 17 shall be deemed to commence with effect from the date of its first meeting at which a quorum is present.
Provided that if the first meeting of the newly constituted Gram Panchayat cannot be held within three months of the constitution of the Gram Panchayat, the State Government may by order terminate the term of office of the members of the Gram Panchayat continuing in office under this sub-section and appoint any authority or person to exercise and perform, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the order, powers and functions of the Gram Panchayat under this Act until the date on which such first meeting of the newly constituted Gram Panchayat is held.
(5) A Gram Panchayat constituted upon the dissolution of the Gram Panchayat before the expiration its duration shall continue only for the remainder of the period for which the dissolved gram Panchayat would have continued under sub-section (1) had it not been so dissolved:
Provided that the state Government may appoint any authority, person or persons to exercise and perform duties, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the order, the powers and functions of the dissolved Gram Panchayat under this Act or under any law for the time being in force until the date on which such first meeting of the newly formed Gram Panchayat is held.
19. Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Act, at a General Election of the members of a Gram Panchayat----
(a) if the election of any member from any constituency cannot be held; or
(b) if held, result of such election cannot be published in the official gazette by reason of the order of a court or for any Majority of members elected at a General election to function when election of members from some constituencies cannot be held 22 other reason, within such time as the State Government considers reasonable, the State Government may, if it thinks expedient so to do in the interest of the administration of the Gram Panchayat concerned, by an order, direct that such of the members of the Gram Panchayat as have been elected and are able to assume office as members, shall forthwith assume such office:
Provided that no order shall be made under this Section unless at least two-third of the total number of members specified for the Gram Panchayat have been elected and are able to assume office.
(2) Upon an order under sub-section (1) being made, the names of the members, who have been elected and as regards the publication of the result of whose election there is no impediment, shall be published in the official gazette and such members shall assume office as members of the newly constituted Gram Panchayat after General Election of the members of the Gram Panchayat and shall be deemed to constitute, for the time being, total number of members of the Gram Panchayat.
(3) Any member of the Gram Panchayat, who is subsequently elected or whose name is subsequently published in the official gazette as member, shall be entitled to assume office as such member, but his term of office shall be deemed to have commenced from the date of the first meeting at which a quorum is present of the members referred to in sub-section (1).