(1)The District Development Officer may suspend from office the Sarpanch or the Upa-Sarpanch of a village panchayat against whom any criminal proceedings in respect of an offence involving moral turpitude have been instituted or who has been detained in a prison during trial for any offence or who is undergoing such sentence of imprisonment as would not disqualify him from continuing as a member of the panchayat under section 30 or who has been detained under any law relating to preventive detention for the time being in force.(2)Where any Sarpanch or Upa-Sarpanch, has been suspended under sub-section (1) another member of the village panchayat shall, subject to the conditions to which the election of the Sarpanch or Upa-sarpanch, so suspended was subject, be elected to perform all the duties and exercise all the powers of a Sarpanch or Upa-Sarpanch, during the period for which such suspension continues.(3)An appeal shall lie against an order passed under sub-section (1) to the State Government, Such appeal shall be made within a period of thirty days from the date of the order.
