Section 40(1)(a) in The Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959
(a)is absent for more than four consecutive months from the village, [(such absence not being on account of his being a Chairman or Deputy Chairman of a panchayat Samiti)] [These brackets and words were inserted by Maharashtra 43 of 1962, Section 26, Schedule.], unless leave not exceeding six months so to absent himself has been granted by the panchayat, or