(1)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -(i)"Backward Classes" means such backward classes of citizens, other than the scheduled castes and the Scheduled Tribes, as may be specified by the State Government from time to time for the purposes of this Act;(ii)"Block" and "Panchayat Circle" shall respectively mean the local area over which a Panchayat Samiti or, as the case may be, a Panchayat exercises its jurisdiction;[(ii-a) "Authorized Agency" means, for the purpose of selection to the post of Primary and Upper Primary School Teacher, the Director, Elementary Education Rajasthan.] [Inserted by Notification No. G.S.R. 95, dated 15.10.2015 (w.e.f. 23.4.1994).](iii)"Chairman" means Chairperson of a standing Committee of a [Zila Parishad, a Panchayat Samiti or a Panchayat] [Substituted by Rajasthan Panchayati Raj. (Amendment) Act, 2000 Section 2 published in Rajasthan Gazette Extraordinary Part IV-A dated 3.5.2000 with effect from 6.1.2000.] constituted under this Act;(iv)"Chairperson" and "Deputy Chairperson" shall respectively mean the Sarpanch and Up- Sarpanch in the case of a Panchayat, the Pradhan and Up-Pradhan in the case of a Panchayat Samiti and the Pramukh and Up-Pramukh in the case of a Zila Parishad;(v)"Commissioner" means the Divisional Commissioner or such other officer as may be appointed by the State Government to exercise the powers of a Commissioner under the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956 (Rajasthan Act 15 of 1956);(vi)"Collector" means Collector of a District and includes Additional Collector;(vii)"Competent Authority" means such officer or authority as the State Government may, by ,notification in the Official Gazette, appoint to perform such functions and exercise such powers of a Competent Authority with respect to such provisions of this Act and in relation to such Panchayati Raj Institutions as are specified in the notification;(viii)"Constituency" includes a ward;(ix)[ ["Director Panchayati Raj."] [Substituted by Section 2 of Rajasthan Panchayati Raj. (Amendment) Act, 1994 (Act No. 23 of 1994) Published in Rajasthan Gazette, Extraordinary, Part -IV-A, dated 6.10. 1994 (w.e.f. 26.7.1994)] means the officer appointed as such by the State Government ;][ixa "Director, Elementary Education" means the officer appointed as such by the State Government;][Inserted by Rajasthan Panchayati Raj. (Amendment) Act, 2000, Section 2 (iii) published in Rajasthan Gazette Extraordinary Part IV-A dated 3.5.2000 with immediate effect.](x)"District" means a District constituted under the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956 (Rajasthan Act 15 of 1956);(xi)"Finance Commission" means the commission constituted under Article 243-I of the Constitution of India;(xii)"Government" or "State Government" means the State Government of Rajasthan;(xiii)"Member" means a member of Panchayati Raj Institution and includes a Sarpanch;(xiv)"Officer-in-charge of Panchayats" means the person or officer appointed by the State Government under Section 99 to be the officer-in-charge of Panchayats and includes an officer subordinate to him appointed under that section;(xv)"Panch" means a memnber of a Panchayat, other than a Sarpanch;(xvi)"Panchayat Area" or "Panchayat Circle" means the territorial area of a Panchayat;(xvii)"Panchayati Raj Institution" means an institution of Self-Government establishment under this Act for rural Areas, whether at the level of a village or a of a Block or district;(xviii)"Population", when used with reference to a local area, means the population of such lo9cal area as ascertained at the last proceeding census of which the relevant figures have been published;(xix)"Prescribed" means prescribed by or under this Act;(xx)"Public Land" or Common Land" means land which is not in exclusive possession and use of any individual but is used by the in habitants of local area commonly;(xxi "Standing Committee" means a Standing Committee constituted by a [Zila Parishad, or a Panchayat Samiti or a Panchayat] [Substituted by the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj. (Amendment Act, 2000 publishe din Rajasthan Gazette extraordinary Part IV-A dated 3.5.2000 with effect from 6.1.2000] under this Act;(xxii)"State Election Commission" means the Commission referred to in Article 243-K of the Constitution of India; and
