(1)The Zilla Panchayat shall have the following Standing committees, namely:-(a)General Standing Committee;(b)Finance, Audit and Planning Committee;(c)Social Justice Committee;(d)Education and Health Committee;(e)Agriculture and Industries Committee;(2)[ Each Standing Committee shall consist of such number of members not exceeding seven including the Chairman as specified by the Zilla Panchayat elected by the members of the Zilla Panchayat from amongst the elected members. The election of members of standing Committee shall be held as soon as may be after every general election of member of Zilla Panchayat or on its reconstitution or establishment under this Act or immediately before the expiry of the term of office of the members of the Standing Committee:Provided that the Social Justice Committee shall consist of at least one member who is a woman and one member from either the scheduled castes or the scheduled tribes whichever has more number of elected members.] [Substituted by Act 29 of 1997 w.e.f. 20.10.1997.](2A)[ The term of office of every member of the standing committee shall, save as otherwise provided in this Act, be twenty months from the date of his election or till he ceases to be a member of the Zilla Panchayat, whichever is earlier.] [Inserted by Act 17 of 1996 w.e.f. 23.9.1996.](3)[ The Adhyaksha shall be the ex-officio member and Chairman of the Finance, Audit and Planning Committee. The Upadhyaksha shall be the ex-officio member and Chairman of the General Standing Committee. The other standing committees shall elect the Chairman from among their members.] [Substituted by Act 29 of 1997 w.e.f. 20.10.1997.](4)No member of the Zilla Panchayat shall be eligible to serve on more than two Standing Committees.(5)The Chief Executive Officer shall be the Ex-officio Secretary of the General Standing Committee and the Finance, Audit and Planning Committee and he shall nominate one of the Deputy Secretaries as Ex-officio Secretary for each of the remaining standing committees. The Chief executive officer shall be entitled to attend the meetings of all the standing committees.
