Section 16B in The West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973
16B. [ Public Meeting of the Gram Sabha. [Section 16B inserted by W.B. Act 18 of 1994.]
(1)Ever Gram shall have a Gram Sabha consisting of persons registered in the electoral roll pertaining to the area of the Gram.(2)Every Gram Panchayat shall hold within the local limits of the Gram an annual meeting, ordinarily in the month of December every year, of the Gram Sabha after completion of the half-yearly meeting of the Gram Sansads.[Provided that a Gram Panchayat may, in addition to the annual meeting, hold extraordinary meeting of a Gram Sabha at any time if the situation so warrants or if the State Government, by order, so directs and for the purpose of holding such extraordinary meeting, provision of this section shall apply.](3)One-twentieth of the total number of members shall form a quorum for a meeting of a Gram Sabha:Provided that no quorum shall be necessary for an adjourned meeting which shall be held at the same time and place after seven days.(4)The Gram Panchayat Shall, at least seven days before the date of holding the meeting referred to in sub-section (2), give public notice of such meetings by beat of drums as widely as possible, announcing the agenda, place, date and hour of the meeting. A notice of such meeting shall also be hung up in the office of the Gram Panchayat. Similar publicity shall also be given in the case of an adjourned meeting.(5)A meeting of the Gram Sabha shall be presided over by the Pradhan of the concerned Gram Panchayat or, in his absence, by the Upa-Pradhan.(6)All questions coming before a Gram Sabha shall be discussed and points raised there shall be referred to the Gram Panchayat for its consideration.(7)The Gram Sabha shall deliberate upon, recommend for, and adopt resolution on, any matter referred to in sub-section (6) of section 16A and section 17A:[* * * * * *] [[Proviso first inserted by W.B. Act 15 of 1997, then omitted by W.B. Act 18 of 2004. The proviso was as under:-'Provided that constitution of a Beneficiary Committee by a Gram Sansad under clause (c) of sub-section (6) of section 16A, shall not be questioned in any meeting of the Gram Sabha.'.]](8)The Gram Panchayat shall, on considering and collating the resolutions of the Gram Sansads, place before the Gram Sabha the resolutions of the Gram Sansads and the views of the Gram Panchayat together with its report on the actions taken and proposed to be taken on them for deliberation and recommendation by the Gram Sabha.(9)The proceedings of the meetings of the Gram Sabha shall be recorded by such officer or employee of the Gram Panchayat or, in the absence of officers and employees of the Gram Panchayat, by such member of the Gram Panchayat as may be authorised by the presiding member in this behalf. Such proceedings shall be read out before the meeting is concluded and the presiding member shall then sign the proceedings.]
