(1) Every Zilla Parishad shall, at its first meeting at which a quorum is present, elect, in the prescribed manner, one of its members to be the Sabhadhipati and another member to be the Sahakari Sabhadhipati of the Zilla Parishad:
Provided that the members referred to in sub-clauses (iii) and (iv) of clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 140 shall not be eligible for such election.
(2) The meeting to be held under sub-section (1) shall be convened by the prescribed authority in the prescribed manner.
(3) The Sabhadhipati and the Sahakari Sabhadhipati shall, subject to the provisions of section 146 and to their continuing as members, hold office for a period of four years:
Provided that a Sabhadhipati or a Sahakari Sabhadhipati shall continue in office after the expiry of the said period until a new Sabhadhipati or Sahakari Sabhadhipati is elected and assumes office or until an authority or a person or persons is or are appointed under the proviso to sub-section (2) of section 141.
Sabhadhipati and Sahakari Sabhadhipati.
331 The West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973.
[West Ben. Act (Part IV.—Zilla Parishad.—Chapter XIII—Constitution of Zilla Parishad.—Section 143.)
(4) When—
(a) the office of the Sabhadhipati falls vacant by reason of death, resignation, removal or otherwise, or
(b) the Sabhadhipati is, by reason of leave, illness or other cause, temporarily unable to act, the Sahakari Sabhadhipati shall exercise the powers, perform the functions and discharge the duties of the Sabhadhipati until a new Sabhadhipati is elected and assumes office or until the Sabhadhipati resumes his duties, as the case may be.
(5) When— -
(a) the office of the Sahakari Sabhadhipati falls vacant by reason of death, resignation, removal or otherwise, or
(b) when the 'Sahakari Sabhadhipati is, by reason of leave, illness or other cause, temporarily unable to act, the Sabhadhipati shall exercise the powers, perform the functions and discharge the duties of the Sahakari Sabhadhipati until a new Sahakari Sabhadhipati is elected and assumes office or until the Sahakari Sabhadhipati resumes his duties, as the case may be.
(6) When the offices of the Sabhadhipati and the Sahakari Sabhadhipati are both vacant or the Sabhadhipati and the Sahakari Sabhadhipati are temporarily unable to act, the prescribed authority may appoint a Sabhadhipati and a Sahakari Sabhadhipati from among the members of the Zilla Parishad to act as such until a Sabhadhipati or a Sahakari Sabhadhipati is elected and assumes office.
. (7) If the Sabhapati of a Panchayat Samiti is elected Sabhadhipati or Sahakari Sabhadhipati of a Zilla Parishad, he shall cease to be the Sabhapati of the Panchayat Samiti, but shall, notwithstanding anything in section 140, continue to be a member of the Zilla Parishad for the full term of his office as such Sabhadhipati or Sahakari Sabhadhipati thereof under sub-section (3) of this section or section 149, as -the case may be.
(8) The Sabhadhipati and the Sahakari Sabhadhipati of a Zilla Parishad shall be paid out of the Zilla Parishad Fund such honoraria and allowances and shall be entitled to leave of absence for such period or periods and on such terms and conditions, as may be prescribed.
332 The West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973.
XLI of 1973.]
(Part IV—Zilla Parishad.—Chapter XIII.—Constitution of Zilla Parishad.—Sections 144, 145.)