Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Procedure for election of Chairman of Panchayat Samiti.— 9[(1) Every Panchayat Samiti shall be presided over by a Chairman, who shall be elected by, and from amongst, its elected members, in the first meeting held in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 59]. (2) The Chairman elected under sub-section (1) shall be entitled to attend the first meeting of the Parishad called under sub-section (2) of section 11 as ex-officio Councillor, and as soon thereafter as possible take charge of office of Chairman of the Panchayat Samiti from the 10[outgoing] Chairman. (3) The meeting 11[referred to in sub-section (1)] shall be presided over by the Collector or the officer authorised by him 12[under sub-section (3) of section 59]. The Collector or such officer shall, when presiding over such meeting, have the same powers as the Chairman of a Panchayat Samiti when presiding over a meeting of the Panchayat Samiti has, but shall not have the right to vote : Provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in section 118, the Collector or such officer 13[may, for reasons recorded in writing which in his opinion are sufficient, refuse to adjourn such meeting, or as the case may be, adjourn such meeting]. (4) If in the election of the Chairman there is an equality of votes, the result of the election shall be decided by lot to be drawn in the presence of the Collector or officer presiding in such manner as he may determine. 14[(5) There shall be reservation in the office of the Chairman in the Panchayat Samitis for the members belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the category of Backward Class of citizens and women as follows :— 1 These words, brackets and figures were substituted for the words “The Panchayat Samiti” by Mah. 6 of 1975, s. 15(2). 2 These words were substituted for the words, brackets and figures “sub-sections (3) and” by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 59(2)(a). 3 The brackets and words “(excluding it’s associate members)” were deleted by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 59(2)(b). 4 Sub-sections (3) and (4) were added by Mah. 6 of 1975, s. 15(3). 5 Sub-section (3) was deleted by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 59(3). 6 The Explanation was deleted by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 59(4). 7 Section 65 was substituted by Mah. 27 of 2000, s. 5. 8 Section 66 was deleted by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 60. 9 Sub-section (1) was substituted by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 61(1). 10 This word was substituted for the word “retiring” by Mah. 35 of 1963, s. 23(1). 11 These words were substituted for the words “called under” by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 61(2)(a). 12 These words, brackets and figures were substituted for the words “as aforesaid” by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 61(2)(b). 13 These words were substituted for the words “may for reasons, which in his opinion are sufficient, refuse to adjourn such meeting” by Mah. 35 of 1963, s. 23(2). 14 Sub-sections (5) to (8) were inserted by Mah. 21 of 1994, s. 61(3). 1962 : Mah. V] The Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat 63 Samitis Act, 1961 (a) the number of offices of Chairman to be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the Panchayat Samitis shall bear as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of such offices in the Panchayat Samitis as the population of the Scheduled Castes in the State or of the Scheduled Tribes in the State 1[excluding the population of the Scheduled Tribes in the Panchayat Samitis comprising entirely the Scheduled Areas] bears to the total population of the State : 2[Provided that, the office of the Chairperson of a Panchayat Samitis comprising entirely the Scheduled Areas shall be reserved only for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Tribes : Provided further that, the office of the Chairperson of a Panchayat Samiti falling only partially in the Scheduled Areas shall be reserved for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Tribes in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) :] 3[Provided also that], 4[one-half of the total number of offices] so reserved shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes or, as the case may be, the Scheduled Tribes : 5[Provided also that, in a Panchayat Samiti in the Scheduled Areas where the population of the Scheduled Tribes is more than fifty per cent. of the total population, the office of the Chairperson shall be reserved only for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Tribes;] 6(b) the offices of Chairman to be reserved for persons belonging to the category of Backward Class of citizens shall be upto 27 per cent. of the total number of such offices in the Panchayat Samitis and the total reservation shall not be more then 50 per cent of the total seats in the State : Provided that, one-half of the offices so reserved shall be reserved for women belonging to the category of Backward Class of Citizens; (c) 7[one-half] of the total number of offices of Chairman (including the number of offices reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the category of Backward Class of citizens) in the Panchayat Samitis shall be reserved for women. 8* * * * * * * (7) The number of offices reserved as aforesaid shall be allotted by rotation to different Panchayat Samitis in the prescribed manner. 9[(7A) Every person desirous of contesting election to the office of the Chairman reserved for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or, as the case may be, Backward Class of citizens, shall be required to submit alongwith the nomination paper, Caste Certificate issued by the Competent Authority and the Validity Certificate issued by the Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the provisions of the Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes, Denotified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Act, 2000 (Mah. XXIII of 2001).] 10[Provided that, a person who has applied to the Scrutiny Committee for verification of his Caste Certificate before the date of filing of the nomination papers, but who has not received the Validity Certificate on the date of filing of the nomination papers shall submit, alongwith the nomination papers,— 1 These words were inserted by Mah. 20 of 1997, s. 6(a). 2 These provisos were inserted by Mah. 20 of 1997, s. 6(b). 3 These words were substituted for the words “Provided that” by Mah. 20 of 1997, s. 6(c). 4 These words were substituted for the words “one third of the total number of offices” by Mah. 19 of 2011, s. 7(1)(a). 5 This proviso was added by Mah. 27 of 2003, s. 6. 6 Clause (b) was substituted by Mah. 19 of 2022, s. 7. 7 These words were substituted for the words “one third” by Mah. 19 of 2011, s. 7(1)(c). 8 Sub-section (6) was deleted by Mah. 19 of 2011, s. 7(2). 9 Sub-section (7A) was inserted by Mah. 5 of 2009, s. 6. 10 These provisos were substituted by Mah. 48 of 2025, s. 6. 64 The Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat [1962 : Mah. V Samitis Act, 1961 (i) a true copy of the application submitted by him to the Scrutiny Committee for issuance of the Validity Certificate or any other proof of having made such application to the Scrutiny Committee ; and (ii) an undertaking that he shall submit the Validity Certificate issued by the Scrutiny Committee, within a period of six months from the date on which he is declared elected : Provided further that, if such person fails to produce the Validity Certificate within a period of six months from the date on which he is declared elected, his election shall be deemed to have been terminated retrospectively and he shall be disqualified for being a Chairman.] (8) The reservation of offices of Chairman (other than the reservation for women) shall cease to have effect on the expiration of the period specified, in article 334 of the Constitution of India.] 1[68. Election of Deputy Chairman.— There shall be a Deputy Chairman in every Panchayat Samiti who shall be elected by, and from amongst, the members of the Panchayat Samiti immediately after the election of the Chairman in a meeting referred to in sub-section (1) of section 67.] 2[68A. Power of Commissioner to decide disputes regarding validity of election of Chairman or Deputy Chairman.— In the event of a dispute arising as to the validity of the election of a Chairman or Deputy Chairman, the Collector or any officer authorised by him or any member 3* * * * may refer the dispute within thirty days from the date of the election to the Commissioner for decision. An appeal against the decision of the Commissioner may, within thirty days from the date of such decision, be filed before the State Government.]