(1)No election of a President or a Chairman or a Member shall be called in question except by an election petition presented to the District Judge of the district in which the Panchayat is situated, within [forty-five days] [Substituted for the words 'fifteen days' by Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2001 (Tamil Nadu Act 18 of 2001).] from the date of the publication of the result of the election under this Act.(2)An election petition calling in question any such election may be presented on one or more of the grounds specified in section 259 by any candidate at such election, by any elector of the ward concerned or by any member.(3)A petitioner shall join as respondents to his petition all the candidates at the election.;(4)An election petition -(a)shall contain a concise statement of the material facts on which the petitioner relies;(b)shall, with sufficient particulars, set forth the ground or grounds on which the election is called in question; and(c)shall be signed by the petitioner and verified in the manner laid down in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act V of 1908) for the verification of pleadings.(5)[ The trial of an election petition shall, so far as is practicable, consistently with the interest of justice in respect of the trial, be continued from day-to-day until its conclusion, unless the District Judge finds the adjournment of the trial beyond the following day to be necessary for reasons to be recorded.] [Inserted by Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2000 (Tamil Nadu Act 1 of 2001).](6)Every election petition shall be tried as expeditiously as possible and endeavour shall be made to conclude the trial within six months from the date on which the election petition is presented to the District Judge for trial.
