Section 163 in The West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973
163. Power of supervision by Zilla Parishad over the Panchayat Samitis.
- [(1) A Zilla Parishad shall exercise general powers of supervision over Panchayat Samitis and Gram Panchayats in the district and it shall be the duty of these authorities to give effect to any directions of the Zilla Parishad] [Section 163 renumbered as sub-Section (1) of that Section and sub-Section(2) inserted by W. B. Act 37 of 1984.] [* * * * *] [Words 'on matters of policy or planning for development' omitted by W.B. Act 37 of 1984.].(2)[ A Zilla Parishad may -(a)inspect, or cause to be inspected, any immovable property used or occupied by a Panchayat Samiti under it or any work in progress under the direction of the Panchayat Samiti,(b)inspect or examine, or depute an officer to inspect or examine, any department of the Panchayat Samiti, or any service, work or thing under the control of the Panchayat Samiti,(c)inspect or cause to be inspected utilisation of funds in respect of schemes or programmes assigned to the Panchayat Samiti by the State Government for execution either directly or through the Zilla Parishad,(d)require a Panchayat Samiti, for the purpose of inspection or examination, -(i)to produce any book, record, correspondence or other documents, or(ii)to furnish any return, plan, estimate, statement, accounts or statistics, or(iii)to furnish or obtain any report or information.](3)[ Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions of this section or elsewhere in this Act, a Zilla Parishad may -(a)require a Panchayat Samiti or Gram Panchayat to take into consideration any objection which appears to it to exist to the doing of anything which is about to be done or is being done by such Panchayat Samiti or Gram Panchayat or any information which appears to it to necessitate the doing of anything by such Panchayat Samiti or Gram Panchayat within such period as it may fix;(b)direct a Panchayat Samiti or Gram Panchayat to discharge any duty under this Act within a specified period if such Panchayat Samiti or Gram Panchayat fails to discharge such duty in accordance with the provisions of this Act and, if such duty is not discharged within the period as aforesaid, appoint any person or persons or authority to discharge such duty and direct that the expenses thereof shall be paid by the Panchayat Samiti or the Gram Panchayat concerned within such period as it may fix:Provided that such person or persons or authority shall, for the purpose of discharging the duty as aforesaid, exercise such of the powers under this Act as might have been exercised by the Panchayat Samiti or the Gram Panchayat concerned while discharging such duty;(c)direct a Panchayat Samiti or Gram Panchayat to levy any tax, toll, fee or rate, if it fails to do so in accordance with the provisions of this Act;(d)call for meetings of a Panchayat Samiti or any of its Sthayee Samitis or a Gram Panchayat if no meeting of such Panchayat Samiti or Sthayee Samiti or Gram Panchayat is held in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder.](4)[ When a Zilla Parishad takes any action or issues any direction in respect of any Gram Panchayat, such action may be taken and such direction may be issued though and with the assistance of the Panchayat Samiti having jurisdiction.] [Sub-Sections (3), (4) and (5) inserted by W. B. Act 17 of 1992.](5)[ A Panchayat Samiti or Gram Panchayat, as the case may be, may appeal to the State Government against any direction under clause (b) of sub-section (3) within thirty days from the date of such direction, and the decision of the State Government on such appeal shall be final.] [Sub-Sections (3), (4) and (5) inserted by W. B. Act 17 of 1992.]
