(1)After making such inquiries as may be prescribed, the competent authority may recommend any local area comprising a revenue village, or a group of revenue villages, or hamlets forming part of a revenue village, for being specified a village under clause (g) of article 243 of the Constitution, if the population of such local area does not exceed fifteen thousand.[Provided that while making a recommendation in respect of a local area in the Scheduled Areas it shall be ensured that the local area shall ordinarily consist of a habitation or a group of habitations or a hamlet or a group of hamlets comprising a Community and managing its affairs in accordance with the traditions and customs.] [Proviso added by Gujarat 5 of 1998 (w.r.e.f. 20-12-1997).]
