136. Special provisions in the case of Gram Panchayats.
(1)Notwithstanding anything in this Act, when a local area is notified as a village under section 3, for the first time, the District Collector shall appoint a Special Officer to exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Gram Panchayat and its Sarpanch until the members and Sarpanch thereof who are duly elected assume office.(2)The Special Officer shall cause arrangements for the election of the members of the Gram Panchayat to be made before such date as may be fixed by the Commissioner in this behalf:Provided that the Commissioner may, from time to time, postpone the date so fixed, if for any reason, the elections cannot be completed before such date.(3)The Government, or as the case may be, an officer authorized by the Government, shall appoint a special officer or a person-in-charge or a committee of persons-incharge to a Gram Panchayat, if for any reason, the process of election to such Gram Panchayat is not completed.(4)The special officer or person-in-charge or the Committee of persons-in-charge, appointed under subsection (3) shall exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Gram Panchayat and its Sarpanch until the members and Sarpanch elected thereof assume office.
