(1)Every Gram Panchayat unless dissolved earlier under this Act, shall continue for a term of five years from the date of its first meeting.[Explanation. - After the Sarpanch and the Panches have taken oath as provided under section 13, a meeting of the Gram Panchayat shall be held at the earliest and such meeting shall be deemed to be the first meeting of the Gram Panchayat for the purpose of this sub-section.] [Substitued by Punjab Act No. 4 of 2012, dated 21.5.2012](2)No amendment of any law for the time being in force shall have the effect of causing dissolution of a Gram Panchayat which is functioning immediately before such amendment, till the expiration of its duration specified in sub-section (1).(3)An election to constitute a Gram Panchayat shall be completed-(a)before the expiration of term of its duration specified in sub-section (1);(b)before the expiry of period of six months from the date of its dissolution:Provided that where the remainder of the period for which the dissolved Gram Panchayat would have continued is less than six months, it shall not be necessary to hold any election under this clause for constituting the Gram Panchayat for such period.(4)A Gram Panchayat constituted upon the dissolution of a Gram Panchayat before the expiration of its duration, shall continue only for remainder of the period for which the dissolved Gram Panchayat would have continued under sub-section (1) had it not been so dissolved.
