(2)Seat [shall, subject to the general or special order of the State Election Commission, be reserved by the Deputy Commissioner] [Substituted by Act 29 of 1998 w.e.f. 24.8.1998.] in a Grama Panchayat,-(a)for the Scheduled Castes; and(b)for the Scheduled Tribes;and the number of seats so reserved shall bear as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats in the Grama Panchayat as the population of the Scheduled Castes in the panchayat area or of the Scheduled Tribes in the panchayat area bears to the total population of the panchayat area;[Proviso x x x] [Omitted by Act 10 of 1995 w.e.f. 13.1.1995.][Provided that at least one seat each shall be reserved in a Grama Panchayat for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes:Provided further that, if no person belonging to the Scheduled Castes is available the seat reversed for that category shall also be filled by the persons belonging to Scheduled Tribes and vice-versa.] [Inserted by Act 11 of 2000 w.e.f. 16.12.1999.]
