(2)he may, with the previous sanction of the [State] Government, direct that the adult male rate-paying residents of any village shall select, according to any Rules that may be prescribed by the [State] [Substituted by A.L.O. for 'Provincial'.] Government and published in the [Official Gazette] [Substituted by A.L.O. for 'Calcutta Gazette'.], not less than three or more than five residents of the village to be the panchayat thereof, and the District Magistrate shall if he approves of the person so selected, appoint such persons to be the panchayat; but if, in his opinion any person so selected is, for reasons to be recorded by him in writing, unfit to be a member of the panchayat, the District Magistrate shall appoint a fit and proper resident to be a member of the panchayat:Provided that no panchayat shall be appointed in any place to which the [Bengal Municipal Act, 1884] [Now see Bihar & Orissa Municipal Act, 7 of 1922.] has been, or may hereafter be, extended:Provided also that the [State] [Substituted by A.L.O. for 'Provincial'.] Government shall be entitled to prescribe that in certain specified local areas, to be notified in the [Official Gazette] [Substituted by A.O. for 'Calcutta Gazette'.] the number of persons to be appointed to discharge the duties of a panchayat may be reduced to one.]
