19. Majority of members elected at a General Election to function when election of members from some constituencies cannot be held.
(1)Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Act, at a General Election of the members of a Gram Panchayat-(a)if the election of any member from any constituency cannot be held ; or(b)if held, result of such election cannot be published in the official gazette by reason of the order of a court or for any other reason, within such time as the State Government considers reasonable,the State Government may, if it thinks expedient so to do in the interest of the administration of the Gram Panchayat concerned, by an order, direct that such of the members of the Gram Panchayat as have been elected and are able to assume office as members, shall forthwith assume such office :Provided that no order shall be made under this Section unless at least two-third of the total number of members specified for the Gram Panchayat have been elected and are able to assume office.(2)Upon an order under sub-section (1) being made, the names of the members, who have been elected and as regards the publication of the result of whose election there is no impediment, shall be published in the official gazette and such members shall assume office as members of the newly constituted Gram Panchayat after General Election of the members of the Gram Panchayat and shall be deemed to constitute, for the time being, total number of members of the Gram Panchayat.(3)Any member of the Gram Panchayat, who is subsequently elected or whose name is subsequently published in the official gazette as member, shall be entitled to assume office as such member, but his term of office shall be deemed to have commenced from the date of the first meeting at which a quorum is present of the members referred to in sub-section (1).
