Panchayat:Repo18/Law Manual Page0094

8[(3) The number of seats to be notified under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall not, - (a) in these case of Village Panchayat, be less than thirteen or more than twenty three];

(b) in these case of a Block Panchayat, be 10[less than thirteen or more than twenty three];

(c) in these case of a District Panchayat, be less than sixteen or more than thirty-two:

Provided that the ratio between the population of the territorial area of a panchayat at any level and the number of seats in such Panchayats to be filled by election shall, so far as practicable, be the same throughout State.]

(4) The procedure of fixing the strength of a Panchayat shall be such as may be prescribed.

7. Composition of Village Panchayat.

(1) Every Village Panchayat shall consist of elected members equal to the number of seats notified under sub-section (1) of Section 6.

(2) All the seats in a Village Panchayat shall be filled by persons chosen by direct election in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

(3) In every Village Panchayat, seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

(4) The number of seats reserved under sub-section (3) shall be determined by the Government and the number of seats so determined shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats in that Panchayat as the population of the Scheduled Castes in that Panchayat area or, as the case may be, of the Scheduled Tribes in that Panchayat area bears to the total population of the Panchayat area, and such seats shall be allotted by the 11[State Election Commission] or an officer authorised by it 12[under sub-section (1B) of section 10] by rotation to different constituencies in that Panchayat area:

Provided that where the population of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in a Panchayat area is not sufficient enough to make them eligible for reservation of any seat, one seat shall be reserved in that Panchayat, for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes having higher population.