Section 29 in The West Bengal Municipal Elections Act, 1994
29. Reservation of seats. -
(1)Seats shall be reserved [* * * * *] [Words 'by notification by the commission' Omitted by W.B. Act 46 of 1994.] for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in every Municipality, [in such manner as may be prescribed] [Words inserted by W.B. Act 46 of 1994.], and the number of seats so reserved shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election to that Municipality as the population of the Scheduled Castes in the municipal area or the Scheduled Tribes in the municipal area, as the case may be, bears to the total population of that municipal area, and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies of that municipality by the Commission [in such manner as may be prescribed] [Words inserted by W.B. Act 46 of 1994.].(2)Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved under sub-section (1) shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes or, as the case may be, the Scheduled Tribes.(3)Not less than one-third of the total number of seats, including the seats reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes under sub-section (2), to be filled by direct election to a Municipality, shall be reserved for women, and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies of that Municipality by the Commission [in such manner as may be prescribed] [Words inserted by W.B. Act 46 of 1994.].(4)The office of Chairperson of a Municipality shall be reserved for a woman candidate for the first term if at least 50 per cent of the total number of elected members are women. The office of Chairperson of a Municipality shall be reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate for the next term if at least 50 per cent of the elected members belong to the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe communities. The office of Chairperson of a Municipality shall be reserved for a Scheduled Tribe candidate for the next term where at least 50 per cent of the elected members belong to the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe communities.[29A. Qualifications for membership of a Municipality. - A person shall not be qualified for being chosen to fill a seat in a Municipality unless,-] [Section 29A inserted by W.B. Act 8 of 1995, w.e.f. 2.12.1994.](a)in the case of a seat reserved for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes, such person is a member of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes, as the case may be, and is an elector in relation to that Municipality;(b)in the case of a seat reserved for a woman, such person is a woman, and is an elector in relation to that Municipality;(c)in the case of any other seat, such person is an elector in relation to that Municipality.
