16. Electoral divisions. - (1) For the purposes of elections of members to a village panchayat a village shall be divided by the State Election Commission into as many single members wards as the total number of members specified in respect of the village panchayat of that village in sub-section (4) of section 9, and in such manner that as far as practicable the population of all the wards is the same; and one member shall be elected from each such ward.
(2)For the purposes of elections of members to a taluka panchayat a taluka shall be divided by the State Election Commission into as many single member territorial constituencies as the total number of elected members specified in respect of the taluka panchayat of that taluka in sub-section (4) of section 10 and in such manner that the population of all the territorial constituencies is, as far as practicable, the same and each territorial constituency is so delimited as to include therein as far as practicable whole wards of a village and one member shall be elected from each such constituency.(3)For the purposes of elections of members to a district panchayat, a district shall be divided by the State Election Commission into as many single member territorial constituencies as the total number of elected members specified in respect of the district panchayat of that district in sub-section (4) of section 11 and in such manner that the population of all the territorial constituencies is as far as practicable the same and each territorial constituency is so delimited as to include therein as far as practicable whole territorial constituencies of a taluka; and one member shall be elected from each such constituency.(4)At any time not later than two months before the date of the expiry of the duration of a panchayat under section 13 and in the case of a panchayat which is to be constituted or reconstituted under the provisions of this Act otherwise than on the expiry of its duration under section 13, at any such time before it is to be constituted or, as the case may be reconstituted, it shall be lawful for State Election Commission-(a)to alter, for reasons to be recorded in writing, the limits of any ward of the concerned village, for the purpose of general election in relation to a village panchayat.(b)to alter, for reasons to be recorded in writing, the limits of any territorial constituency of the concerned taluka or district, for the purpose of general election in relation to a taluka or district panchayat.(5)Each ward constituted under sub-section (1) and each territorial constituency constituted under sub-sections (2) and (3) shall subject to alteration, if any, made under sub-section (4) be an electoral division.
