(1)There shall be a Vice-Chairman in every Town Panchayat and Municipal Council and a Deputy Mayor in every Municipal Corporation who shall be elected by the elected Councillors of the respective Municipalities from among themselves in such manner as may be prescribed.(2)A Deputy Chairperson shall be deemed to have vacated his office- CD on his ceasing to be a Councillor on the expiry of his term of office or otherwise; or(ii)on his election as Chairperson.(3)Where the office of a Chairperson is vacant, the Deputy Chairperson shall exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the Chairperson until a newly elected Chairperson assumes office.(4)(a)Where the office of a Chairperson is vacant and there is vacancy in the office of Deputy Chairperson or the Deputy Chairperson has been continuously absent from jurisdiction for more than fifteen days or is incapacitated, the Chairman of the Standing Committees in the order referred to in sub-sectionCl) of section 20 shall, until a new Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson is elected and assumes office, or the Deputy Chairperson returns to jurisdiction or recovers from his incapacity, as the case may be, shall exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Chairperson.(b)Where a Chairperson has been continuously absent from jurisdiction for more than fifteen days or is incapacitated and there is vacancy in the office of the Deputy Chairperson or the Deputy Chairperson has been continuously absent from jurisdiction for more than fifteen days or is incapacitated and [x x x x] [Omitted 'the Chairperson has not delegated his functions to any Councillor under sub-section (3) of section 18' by Act 14 of 1999. w.e.f. 24-3-1999.], the Chairmen of the Standing Committees in the order referred in sub-section (1) of section 20 shall exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Chairperson until the Deputy Chairperson returns to jurisdiction or recovers from his incapacity, as the case may be.(c)Where there are no Chairmen of Standing Committees to hold the office of the Chairpersons as provided under clauses (a) and (b), an elected Councillor nominated by the Government shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Chairperson of the Municipality for the period referred to in the said clause.
