Panchayat:Repo18/Law Manual Page0642

THE KERALA PANCHAYAT RAJ (CUSTODY OF RECORDS AND ISSUE OF COPY) RULES, 1998

[Translation in English of the Kerala Panchayat Raj (Custody of Records and issue of copy) Rules, 1998 published under the authority of the government.]

S.R.O. No. 441/98.— In Exercise of the powers conferred by section 254 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994) the Government of Kerala make the following rules, namely:

Rules

1. Short title and commencement (1) These rules may be called the Kerala Panchayat Raj (Custody of Records and issue of Copy) Rules, 1998.

(2) They shall come into force at once. 2. Definitions. In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires (a) 'Act' means the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (13 of 1994);

(b) words and expression used but not defined in these rules, but defined in the Act shall have the meaning respectively assigned to them in the Act.

1[3. Custody of the Panchayat records and their transparency.- (1) All the records in respect of the performance of the duties vested in a Panchayat and those in respect of the exercise of the powers thereof under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 or the rules made thereunder and all the records relating to the proceedings of the meeting of the Panchayat and those of every committee thereof shall be under the custody of the Secretary or the Officer authorized by him:

Provided that if the performance of any duty of the Panchayat or the exercise of the powers thereof are executed by an Officer deputed by the Government, the records related to those matters shall be under the custody of the said Officer or another Officer authorized by him.

(2) Every record of the Panchayat, except those which related to a matter classified as confidential by the Government or any authority empowered by them or the records containing details of such matters, shall be a public document and every person shall be entitled to get the copy of such records or of the relevant portion thereof or to copy the relevant portions thereof if needed.]

2[4. Application for sanction to get copy of records or to copy the records.- (1) Those who wish to get the copy of a record or of the relevant portion thereof which is considered to be the public document of a panchayat or to personally peruse and copy the same shall submit the application in Form lappended to these rules to the Secretary of the Panchayat or the Officer concerned as the case may be, who is entrusted with the custody of the record,