77. First meeting of district panchayat and election of President and Vice-President.
(1)On the constitution of a district panchayat or on its reconstitution under section 13 or under and other provisions of this Act there shall be called the first meeting thereof for the election of its President and the Vice-President from amongst its elected members.(2)[(a) All offices of the President of the district panchayats in the State shall be reserved by the State Government for the Scheduled Tribes.Explanation. - For the purposes of this clause, "district panchayat" means the district panchayat, the whole local area of which comprises of the Scheduled Areas.] [Clause (a) substituted by Gujarat 5 of 1998 (w.r.e.f. 20-12-1997).](b)(i)one third of the total number of offices of President of District Panchayats in the State reserved under clause (a) [***] [The word 'and' deleted by Gujarat 5 of 1998 (w.r.e.f. 20-12-1997).][* * *] [Sub-clause (ii) deleted by Gujarat 5 of 1998 (w.r.e.f. 20-12-1997).]shall be reserved by the State Government for women.(3)The number of offices reserved under sub-section (2) shall be allotted by the State Government by rotation to different District Panchayats in the State in the prescribed manner.(4)The meeting shall be held on such day within four weeks from the date which the names of members elected at the general election are published under section 15, as may be fixed by the competent authority:Provided that where no day is fixed within the aforesaid period of four weeks the competent authority shall report the fact to the State Government or officer or authority authorised by the State Government and the meeting shall be held on such day as the State Government or the said officer or authority, as the case may be, may specify.(5)The first meeting shall be presided over by such officer as the competent authority may by order appoint in that behalf, such officer shall, have such powers and follow such procedure as may be prescribed but shall not have the right to vote.(6)No business other than the election of the President and the Vice-President shall be transacted at the meeting.(7)If at the election under this section, there is an equality of votes, the result of the election shall be decided by lot drawn in the presence of the presiding officer in such manner as he may determine.(8)In the event of a dispute arising as to the validity of an election under the foregoing provisions of this section, the dispute shall be referred within a period of thirty days from the date of the declaration of the result of the election to the competent authority for decision. The decision of the competent authority shall be final and no suit or other proceeding shall lie against it in any court.
