(1) Subject to the provisions contained in the Constitution of India. the Government may constitute village councils within the autonomous district to the exclusion of any court within such area, and may appoint, in consultation with the Chairman and failing him the Vice-Chairman of the District Council, suitable persons to be members or presiding officers of such village councils and mayalso appoint such officers as may be necessary for the administration of the bye-laws and regulations made by the District Council under the provisions of this Act.
(2) The village councils shall have power to try civil suits of the following description if their values do not exceed one thousand rupees-
(a) civil suits for money due on contract;
(b) civil suits for recovery of property or for the value thereof;
(c) civil suits for compensation for wrongfully taking or injuring any property;
(d) civil suits for damages caused by cattle trespass.
(3) The village council shall have power te try cases or offences of the following description and to impose fine not exceeding three hundred rupees that is to say-
(a) cases arising out of any bye-laws regulations or rules in force in the autonomous district ;
(b) cases arising out of any bye-laws, regulations offence or abetment thereof which are not punishable with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six 17 months and offences under sections 379 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code where the value of the stolen property does not exceed five hundred rupees.
38. An appeal shall lie to the District Judge against final decision rendered under sub-section (2) of section 37 and to the Sessions Judge against final decision rendered under sub-section (3) of section 37.
39. If any fine or portion thereof remains unpaid, the same shall be deemed to be dues to the Government and can be realised as arrears of land revenue under the provisions of the Tripura Land Re;enue and Land Reforms Act, 1960.
40. The Government may make rules regulating-
(a) compositions of village councils and the number of village councils that may be set up defining their territorial limits within the autonomous district;
(b) the procedure regarding cognizance by village councils;
(c) the procedure to be followed by the village councils in the trial of suits, cases or offences;
(d) all other ancillary matters for carrying out the provisions of sections 37 and 38.
CHAPTER V FINANCE OF DISTRICT COUNCIL AND VESTING OF PROPERTY.
r Cl Council 4l. (1) There shall be constituted for the autonod mous district, a District Fund to which shall be credited all moneys received by the District Council for the autonomous district in course of administration of such district.
(2) The Government may make rules for the management of the District Fund and for the procedure to be followed in respect of payment of money into the said Fund, withdrawal of moneys there from, the custody of moneys therein and any other matter connected with and ancillary to the matters aforesaid.
(3) The accounts of the District Council shall be kept in such form as may be prescribed by the Government in consultation with the Accountant General.
Licences or eases "'or the purpose of prospecting, for or extraction of minerals.
Property vested in the District Council.
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(4) The State Government shall cause the accounts of the District Council to be audited by the Accountant General in such manner as he may think fit and the report of the Accountant General shall be submitted to the Government, after such report has been placed before the District Council and discussed, and the Government shall, in turn, lay such report before the State Legislature. -