16. [ Reservation of the offices of Chairpersons. - (1) The offices of the Sarpanchas, the Pradhans and the Pramukhs shall be reserved for -
(a)the Scheduled Caste;(b)the Scheduled Tribes; and(c)the Backwards Classes,as also for women in accordance with the provisions contained in the succeeding sub-section.(2)The number of each of such offices reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of each of such offices in the State as the population of such Castes or, as the case may be, such Tribes in the State bears to the total population of the State.(3)Such parentage, not exceed in [twenty one] [Substituted by Section 4, of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 1994 (Act No. 23 of 1994) published in Rajasthan Gazette, Extraordinary, Part IV-A dated 6.10.1994 for the existing Section 16 (w.e.f. 26.7.1994).] of offices of Sarpanch or Pradhan in a Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad, as the case may be, shall be reserved for Backward Classes, as the percentage of the combined population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad area in relation to the total population of such Panchayat Samiti of Zila Parishad area, as the case may be, falls short of fifty:Provided that at least one office of Sarpanch of Pradhan in a Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad shall be reserved for Backward Classes where the combined population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad area, as the case may be, does not exceed seventy percent of the total population of the Panchayat Samiti.or Zila Parishad area.(4)[twenty one] [Substituted for the word fifteen by the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2000 published in Rajasthan Gozette, Extraordinary Part IV-A dated 3.5.2000 with effect from 25.10.1999.] percent of the total number of offices of Pramukh in the State shall be reserved for the Backward Classes.(5)Not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Sarpanchas, Pradhans and Pramukhs in the State shall be reserved for women.(6)Offices reserved under this section shall be allotted by rotation to different Panchayats, Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads in the State in such manner as may be prescribed.Explanation. - If a fraction forms part of the number of seats computed under Section 15 or offices computed under this section, the number of seats or offices, as the case may be, shall be increased to the next higher number in case the fraction consists of half or more of a seat or office and the fraction shall be ignored in case it consists of less than half of a seat or office.][Substituted by the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2000 published in Rajasthan Gazette Extraordinary Part IV-A dated 3.5.2000 with effect from 6.1.2000.]
