Section 54C in The Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959
54C. Meetings of Gram sabha.
(1)Secretary of the panchayat shall be Secretary of the Gram sabha and he shall be responsible to call the meetings of the Gram sabha. Such Secretary shall prepare and maintain the proceedings of all meetings of Gram sabha or in his absence any officer authorised in this behalf by the person who is presiding over the meeting shall prepare such proceedings.(2)Secretary of the panchayat shall convey the date, time and place of every meeting of the Gram sabha, not less than fifteen clear days before the date fixed for such meetings to the concerned Officials and members of the Gram sabha.(3)The first meeting of the Gram sabha in every financial year shall be presided over by the Sarpanch, or in his absence by the Upa-Sarpanch. In the absence of the Sarpanch and Upa-Sarpanch, the members of the Gram sabha shall elect one of the members of the panchayat present to preside. All other meetings in the financial year shall be presided by such persons who shall be elected by the majority of the members of the Gram sabha.(4)Unless exempted by the Gram sabha, every meeting of the Gram sabha shall be attended by the concerned village Kotwal, Talathi, Police Patil, Health Officer, Head Master of the Primary and Secondary School, Agriculture Officer, Junior Engineer of Maharashtra State Electricity Board and Officers in-charge of the Police Station.(5)Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any rules made thereunder, twenty-five per cent of total number of persons included in the list of voters or hundred of such persons, whichever is less, shall form a quorum for a meeting of the Gram sabha. It shall not be allowed to conduct any meeting including adjourned meeting without quorum.(6)If any dispute arises between the Gram sabha or any matter concerning to more than one Gram sabhas within the area of the panchayat, shall be brought before the joint meeting of all Gram sabha of that panchayat and the decision taken by majority at such joint meeting shall be deemed to the decision taken by each of the Gram sabha.
