Reconstitution ofPanchayat bodies in

Uttar dinajpur district

Schedule of First Meeting of Three Tier Bodies

A)Election of Pradhan & Upa-Pradhan of Gram

Panchayats

17-08-2013,18-08-2013 & 19-08-2013

B) Election of Sabhapati & Sahakari-Sabhapati of Panchayat Samitis

31-08-2013

A) Schedule of Election of

Sabhadhipati & Sahakari-Sabhadhipati of Uttar Dinajpur Zilla Parishad

11-09-2013

Statutory Provision ** The First Meeting of each of Gram Panchayats/Panchayat Samitis/Zilla Parishads is held as per provision of West Bengal Panchayat (Constitution) Rules 1975. ** The Election of above Office Bearers has to be done within 21 days from the date of Publication of Gazette Notification or within such time as may be allowed by the District Panchayat Election Officer by order in writing recording the reasons for such extension of time.

Notice of Election and First Meeting The Prescribed Authority of GP/PS/ZP (as notified for first meeting)

shall call a meeting of all the members of the Panchayat body (Only Directly Elected Members) for taking oath & for Election of (i)Pradhan & Upa Pradhan, (ii)Sabhapati & Sahakari Sabhapati & (iii) Sabhadhipati & Sahakari Sabhadhipati.

Preparation of Notice of first meeting in Form-1 (Amended), fixing date, time, venue of such meeting.

The Notice should be served upon each member of the Panchayat Body concerned at least 7(seven) days before the date fixed for the meeting.

Mode of Service of Notice in two ways :i)By Registered Post &

ii)By Special Messenger. Special Attention :Convening of meeting will be vitiated in any way if

any member receive the notice less than 7(seven) days before the date of meeting.

Elected Members should be requested to bring with them the Certificate of Election in Form 24 for production before the Presiding Officer for identification.

If a member proposes to contest for reserved office, he/she should bring such particular certificate of Competent Authority issued in his/her favour.

If a member elected from reserved category seat and his/her name would be proposed for particular office ,his/her caste certificate should not be insisted upon.

Appointment of Presiding OfficerIn case of Gram Panchayat : Shall presided over

by such officer(not below the rank of an Extension Officer) as may be assigned by the Prescribed Authority (Block Development Officer)in Form-2.

In case of Panchayat Samiti : : Shall presided over by such officer(not below the rank of a Group A Officer) as may be authorised by the Prescribed Authority(Sub-Divisional Officer) in Form-2.

In case of Zilla Parishad : : Shall presided over by such officer(not below the rank of a Group A Officer) as may be authorised by the Prescribed Authority(District Magistrate) in Form-2.

Such officer shall have no voting right.

Quorum1/3 of the total number of elected members shall from the

quorum of such meeting subject to minimum of 3 members in case of Gram Panchayat.

Consisting of one-fourth of the total number of members in case of Panchayat Samiti & Zilla Parishad.

Normally, a meeting including the first meeting should be held and business of the meeting taken up as soon as quorum is obtained.

The Presiding Officer may wait for the quorum for 1 hour from the scheduled time as is mentioned in form-1 .

The meeting may be adjourned for want of Quorum after waiting for 1 hour.

Date, Time and Venue of the Adjourned meeting shall be notified in a similar manner.

No quorum shall be necessary in an adjourned meeting

OathAll members shall have take oath u/s 197 of

the West Bengal Panchayat Act,1973.They will have to subscribe an oath or

affirmation in Form-3 before the Presiding Officer if not already taken before.

Presiding officer shall ask the members to record their attendance in the meeting register only after it is ascertained that he or she has taken oath in form 3 u/s 197.

Materials to be provided to Presiding Officer for conducting the meeting

A receptacle for holding the ballot papers (Ballot Box) without sealing arrangement,

Form 3:Form of oath/affirmationForm 4:Form of declaration of result when the election is

uncontested.Form 5:Form of Ballot PapersForm 6 :Form for recording the number of valid votes.Form 7:Form of declaration of results when election is contested.A Minute BookService Return of all the notices issued.Copy of the relevant portion of the notification showing names of

the elected members.Reservation Status of the Office along with the reservation status

of all the seats/constituencies concerned.Relevant portion of rules relating to the conduct of the meeting.Any other materials, if required.

NominationAfter this, the presiding Officer shall call upon the

members present to propose and second name of the candidates for Election to the office of Pradhan or Sabhapati or Sabhadhipati mentioning the nature of reservation.

No member for office bearer shall be proposed in absentia.

Specific consent of the proposed member is not necessary.A member who clearly expresses her/his unwillingless to

contest for an office shall not be considered as a candidate by the Presiding Officer.

He will record the names of candidates proposed along with the names of proposer and seconder.

Uncontested ElectionEach candidates to the office of

Pradhan/Sabhapati/Sahakari Sabhapati/Sabhadhipati/

Sahakari Sabhadhipati will have to furnish a declaration in form 3A that he/she will not hold any office of profit and he/she shall be a whole time functionary of the Gram Panchayat/Panchayat Samiti/Zilla Parishad.

If the declaration in form 3A is not received from any candidate, his candidature will be rejected.

This procedure is not applicable to the election of Upa-Pradhan.

If only one candidates is proposed and seconded, the Presiding Officer shall declare him duly elected to be Pradhan of that Gram Panchayat in Form-4

Some Specific IssuesWhen the seat of Pradhan is reserved for any

category and when there is only one seat or constituency of that category or only one member of that category has been elected, it shall not be necessary to second the name of such candidate if proposed for any Office and on being proposed , the Presiding Officer shall declare him ,in Form 4,to be duly elected for the Office.

A candidate who has been elected from an open category seat(Unreserved Seat) but he/she has been proposed for the Office which is reserved for a different category, he/she shall have to produce his/her caste certificate issued by the competent authority for verification by the Presiding officer.

. .

BallotIf more than one candidate are proposed &

seconded and declaration in form 3A have been obtained in respect of each of such proposed candidates, Presiding Officers shall prepare Ballot Paper in form-5.

Ballot Papers shall contain names of the candidates arranged in alphabetical order (Bengali)of his/her surname.

Number of Ballot Papers so prepared shall be equal to the number of elected members present in the meeting

Voting ProcedureBallot paper shall be handed over to each member

present one by one to all the members present.The name of member will be written and his dated initial

or LTI shall be obtained on the back of the Ballot Paper. Presiding Officer will sign in full at the back of each

ballot paperAll member shall be asked to record his/her vote by

planting the mark ‘X’ in the place provided for this purpose in the Ballot Paper opposite to the name of the candidates for whom he intends to vote. After voting he/she will return it to the Presiding Officer. A ballot box may also be used for this but the ballot box shall have no sealing arrangement.

All votes shall be cast in open manner, so that all other members may know in whose favour any of the votes has been cast.

Late Attendance by a MemberAn elected member who arrives late after the meeting has

started shall be allowed to participate in the meeting from the stage where the meeting may be at the time of his arrival and taking his seat after completion of all formalities like oath, attendance and verification. No business already completed shall be opened or altered to accommodate such member or he/she can challenge any list or procedure already done.

He may be issued ballot paper provided all the ballot papers already issued to members who were already present in the meeting have not been returned to the Presiding Officer after voting.

No fresh proposal for candidature for any Office shall be allowed after the finalization list of contesting candidate.

Counting of VotesAfter all the Ballot papers are received back,

Presiding Officer shall count them in the presence of attending members and shall note the number of votes against each candidate in Form-6.

If requested by any member Presiding Officer may show both sides of any Ballot Papers to the member or members but he shall not allow any member to touch the B.P.

Rejection of Vote and BallotThe Presiding Officer may reject any Ballot

Paper which in his opinion raises a reasonable doubt as to for whom the vote has been cast.

The ground of rejection has to be noted & signed by the Presiding Officer in the back of the ballot and such rejected ballot shall not be counted.

Tie and Draw of LotIn case of equal number votes being recorded

in favour of two or more candidates, selection will be made from among such candidates by lot in such manner as the Presiding Officer may deem fit.

And there upon the candidate so selected shall be declared to be duly elected for the proposed office

in form 7

Declaration of Result

The Presiding Officer shall declare in form-7 the candidate who has secured the highest number votes to be duly elected for the Office of the specific Office.

Election of Upa-Pradhan/Sahakari Sabhapati/Sahakari SabhadhipatiAfter this election to the office of Pradhan or

Sahakari Sabhapati or Sahakari Sabhadhipati shall be held in the same manner as stated above.

If some reason, e.g. non availability of eligible candidate, it is not possible to hold election of the chairperson, the Presiding Officer shall proceed to hold election of the Vice-Chairperson.

Election of Vice-Chairperson shall not be postponed or deferred merely on the ground that election of chairperson has been postponed or deferred.

Report Returns The Presiding Officer shall forward the names of Office

Bearer to the Prescribed Authority. The Prescribed Authority shall publish the same in the

locality in such manner as he may think fit. The Prescribed Authority shall forward the Names of the

Elected Office to the DPEO(in case of Gram Panchayat & Panchayat Samity),the Commissioner, Panchayats & RD, Govt. of West Bengal and the Department of Panchayats & RD, Govt. of West Bengal. For publication in the Official Gazette.

Reports to DPEO & DM,Uttar Dinajpur for onward submission to the Commissioner,P&RD Deptt., Govt. of West Bengal

(a)Form 4,6 & 7 of Gram Panchayats : 20-08-2013 (b) Form 4,6 & 7 of Panchayat Samiti : 01-09-2013

Further actions required to be taken following the first meeting of the Panchayat Bodies GRAM PANCHAYAT(For election of members of Upa-Samitis)

All Gram Panchayats under jurisdiction of Block

Desirable Date & Time of the meeting of four Upa-Samitis for election of members of Upa-Samitis

Chopra,Goalpokhar-II,Raiganj, Kaliyaganj,Itahar

Within three weeks after first meeting

03-09-201311.00 A.M.

Islampur,Karandighi,Goalpokhar-I,Hemtabad

Within three weeks after first meeting

04-09-201311.00 A.M.

Further actions required to be taken following the first meeting of the Panchayat Bodies GRAM PANCHAYAT (Election of Sanchalak of Upa-Samiti)

All Gram Panchayats under jurisdiction of Block

Desirable Date & Time of the meeting of four Upa-Samitis for election of members of Upa-Samitis

Chopra,Goalpokhar-II,Raiganj, Kaliyaganj,Itahar

Within one week from the date of completion of elections of all the members of an upa-samiti, notice for such will be issued by the BDO to all members including ex-officio members.Advisable :May be completed preferably within two weeks from the date of election of members of Upa-Samitis

16-09-201311.00 A.M.

Islampur,Karandighi,Goalpokhar-I,Hemtabad

-Do- 16-09-201311.00 A.M.

Further actions required to be taken following the first meeting of the Panchayat Bodies

PANCHAYAT SAMITI(for members of Sthayee Samitis)

Name of Panchayat Samitis

Desirable Date & Time of the meeting of Sthayee Samitis for election of members of Sthayee Samitis of Panchayat Samitis

Chopra,Islampur,Goalpokhar-I, Goalpokhar-II, Karandighi,Raiganj, Kaliyaganj,Hemtabad, Itahar

Within three weeks after first meeting

12-09-201311.00 A.M.

Further actions required to be taken following the first meeting of the Panchayat Bodies

PANCHAYAT SAMITI (Election of Karmadhyaksha of Sthayee Samitis)

Name of Panchayat Samitis

Desirable Date & Time of the meeting of nine sthayee samitis for election of Karmadhyaksha of Sthayee Samitis

Chopra,Islampur,Goalpokhar-I, Goalpokhar-II, Karandighi,Raiganj, Kaliyaganj,Hemtabad, Itahar

Within one week from the date of completion of elections of all the members of a Stahyee Samiti, notice for such will be issued by the SDO to all members including ex-officio members.Advisable :May be completed preferably within two weeks from the date of election of members of Sthayee Samitis of Panchayat Samitis

21-09-201311.00 A.M.

Further actions required to be taken following the first meeting of the Panchayat Bodies

ZILLA PARISHAD

Name of Zilla Parishad Desirable Date & Time of the meeting of Sthayee Samitis for election of members of Sthayee Samitis of Uttar Dinajpur Zilla Parishad

Uttar Dinajpur Zilla Parishad

Law provides that notices such meetings shall be issued within one week following the first meeting.Desirable: within three weeks after first meeting

23-09-201311.00 A.M.

Further actions required to be taken following the first meeting of the Panchayat Bodies

UTTAR DINAJPUR ZILLA PARISHAD (Election of Karmadhyaksha of Sthayee Samitis)

Name of Zilla Parishad

Desirable Date & Time of the meeting of nine Sthayee Samitis for election of Karmadhyaksha of Sthayee Samitis

Uttar Dinajpur Zilla Prisahd

Within one week from the date of completion of elections of all the members of a Stahyee Samiti, notice for such will be issued by the District Magistrate to all members including ex-officio members.Advisable :May be completed preferably within two weeks from the date of election of members of Sthayee Samitis of Panchayat Samitis

03-10-201311.00 A.M.

The West Bengal Panchayat (Members’ Disqualification)Rules,1994

It is advisable that a clear picture about political composition of Panchayat Body should be clearly established right from the beginning.

Under sub-section (3) of Section 213A of WB. Panchayat Act,1973,the political party will submitted statement as follows :

1)Form 1 : To be submitted by Recognised Political Party. 2)Form 2 : To be submitted by Registered/Non-registered Political

Party. 3) Form 3 :The Prescribed Authority shall maintain in Form 3 a

register based on the information submitted in Form 1 & 2. Suitable Actions to be taken by Political Parties :The Statute

provides,that such selection should be made within 3(three)months from the date of first meeting.But,it is desirable,in the light of amendment that such selection by the leader to the Prescribed Authority should be made much earlier even before the first meeting.

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