THEORISSAGRAMAPANCHAYATS(AMENDMENT)BILL,2004

A
BILL
FURTHERTOAMENDTHEORISSAGRAMAPANCHAYATSACT,1964

BeitenactedbytheLegislatureoftheStateofOrissaintheFiftyfifthYearoftheRepublicofIndiaasfollows:
1.ThisActmaybecalledtheOrissaGramaPanchayats(Amendment)Act,2004.
2.Insection115oftheOrissaGramaPanchayatsAct,1964(hereinafterreferredtoastheprincipalAct),
(a)forsubsections(1),(2),(3)and(3a),thefollowingsubsectionsshallbesubstituted,namely:
"(1)IftheStateGovernment,onthebasisofareportoftheCollectorortheProjectDirector,DistrictRuralDevelopmentAgency,orsuomotu,areof
the opinion that circumstances exist to show that the Sarpanch or NaibSarpanch of a Grama Panchayat willfully omits or refuses to carry out or
violatestheprovisionsofthisActortherulesorordersmadethereunderorabusesthepowers,rightsandprivilegesvestedinhimoractsinamanner
prejudicialtotheinterestoftheinhabitantsoftheGramaandthatthefurthercontinuanceofsuchpersoninofficewouldbedetrimentaltotheinterest
of the Grama Panchayat or the inhabitants of the Grama, they may, after giving the person concerned a reasonable opportunity of showing cause,
removehimfromtheofficeofSarpanchorNaibSarpanch,asthecasemaybe.
(2)TheStateGovernmentmay,pendinginitiationoftheproceedingonthebasisoftheiropinionundersubsection(1),byorder,forreasonstobe
recordedinwriting,suspendtheSarpanchorNaibSarpanch,asthecasemaybe,fromtheoffice.
(3)TheStateGovernmentmay,atanytimeduringthependencyofproceedingundersubsection(1),revoketheorderofsuspensionofaSarpanchor
NaibSarpanchpassedundersubsection(2)."and
(b)insubsection(4),fortheword,bracketsandfigure"subsection(2)",theword,bracketsandfigure"subsection(1)"shallbesubstituted.
3.Forsections122and123oftheprincipalAct,thefollowingsectionsshall,respectively,besubstituted,namely:
"122.(1)ThereshallbeanExecutiveOfficerforeveryGramaSasanwhoshall,
(a)maintaintherecordsoftheproceedingsofthemeetingsofGramaPanchayats
(b)remainincustodyofallsuchrecordsanddocuments,cashandvaluablesecuritiesbelongingtoorvestedinorunderthedirection,managementor
controloftheGramaSasanasmaybeprescribedand
(c)exercisesuchotherpowers,dischargesuchotherdutiesandperformsuchotherfunctionsasmaybeprescribed.
(2)TheVLWsandVAWsworkinginadistrictshall,forthepurposesofsubsection(1),actasExecutiveOfficerswithinthelocalareaofsuchGrama
orGramasasmayrespectivelybeassignedtothembytheCollector.
Explanation.Forthepurposeofsubsection(2),
(a)"VLWs"shallmeantheVillageLevelWorkersappointedbytheCollectorforimplementingdifferentdevelopmentalschemesrelatingtodifferent
levelsofPanchayatsintheStateand
(b)"VAWs"shallmeantheVillageAgricultureWorkersappointedforextensionofagriculturalactivitiesintheState.
(3) Subject to the general superintendence and overall control of the Grama Panchayat, the Executive Officer shall function under the control and
supervisionoftheDirector,CollectorandtheDistrictPanchayatOfficer.

123.(1)SubjecttosuchgeneralorspecialorderasmaybemadeinthisbehalfbytheStateGovernment,aGramaPanchayatmayappointaSecretary
andsuchotheremployeesfortheGramaSasanasmaybenecessaryforenablingtheGramaPanchayattoperformitsfunctions,whoshalldischarge
suchdutiesandperformsuchfunctionsasmaybeprescribed.
(2)The expenditure on remuneration or allowances of the Secretary and other staff appointed, if any, under subsection (1) shall be borne by the
GramaPanchayat.
(3)Notwithstandinganythingtothecontraryinsubsection(1),anypersonappointedasaSecretarypriortothecommencementoftheOrissaGrama
Panchayats(Amendment)Act,2004shallbedeemedtohavebeenappointedassuchunderthesaidsubsectionandheshallcontinuetoreceivethe
remunerationsandotherfinancialbenefits,ifany,aswereadmissibletohimpriortosuchcommencement."
STATEMENTOFOBJECTSANDREASONS
TheSarapanchesandNaibSarapanchesaretheelectedrepresentativesoftheGramaPanchayats.ParticularlytheSarapanchesaredirectlyelectedby
thevotersoftheGramaSasan.TheGramaPanchayatistheexecutiveauthorityoftheGramaSasanandtheexecutivepowersoftheGramaPanchayat
areexercisedbytheSarapanch.ButatpresenttheCollectorsareempoweredtosuspendtheSarapanchandNaibSarapanchfromofficeforlapsesas
containedinsection115(1)oftheOrissaGramaPanchayatsAct,1964forwhichthereisadiscontentmentamongtheelectedrepresentatives.Itisfelt
necessarytowithdrawthepowerofsuspensionfromtheCollectorandaccordinglysection115oftheO.G.PAct,1964isrequiredtobeamended.
Consequentupondevolutionofpowers,theGramaPanchayatsarerequiredtoimplementmultifariousworks.Substantialfundsisutilisedbythemfor
developmentalprogrammes.InordertostrengthentheGramaPanchayatadministration,itisfeltexpedienttohaveanExecutiveOfficeroftheGrama
Panchayat similar to that of Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti and accordingly Sections 122 and 123 of the O.G.P Act,1964 are required to be
amended. The V.L.Ws and V.A.Ws being village level functionaries, are suitable officials to be posted as the Executive Officers of Grama
Panchayats.
TheBillseekstoachievetheaboveobjects.
(Dr.DamodarRout)
MemberinCharge

ANNEXURE
(ExtractstakenfromtheOrissaGramaPanchayatsAct,1964)
115.(1)IftheCollector,onanenquiryorinspectionmadebyhimoronthereportoftheSubDivisionalOfficer,isoftheopinionthatcircumstances
existtoshowthattheSarapanchorNaibSarapanchofaGramaPanchayatwillfullyomitsorrefusestocarryoutorviolatestheprovisionsofthisAct,
ortherulesorordersmadethereunderorabusesthepowers,rightsandprivilegesvestedinhimoractsinamannerprejudicialtotheinterestofthe
inhabitantsoftheGramaandthatthefurthercontinuanceofsuchpersoninofficewouldbedetrimentaltotheinterestoftheGramaPanchayatorthe
inhabitantsoftheGrama,hemaybyorder,suspendtheSarapanchorNaibSarapanchasthecasemaybe,fromofficeandreportthemattertothe
StateGovernment.
(2)TheStateGovernment,onthereportoftheCollectorundersubsection(1)shall,oriftheStateGovernmentthemselvesareoftheopinionthatthe
circumstances specified in the said subsection exist in relation to a Sarapanch or NaibSarapanch then on their own motion, may after giving the
personconcernedareasonableopportunityofshowingcause,removehimfromtheofficeofSarapanchorNaibSarapanch,asthecasemaybe.
(3) In the case of Sarapanch or NaibSarapanch, if he is not already under suspension in pursuance of an order under subsection(1), the State
Governmentmay,pendingthedisposaloftheproceedingsbeforethemundersubsection(2)suspendtheSarapanchorNaibSarapanch,asthecase

maybe.
(3a)TheStateGovernmentmay,atanytimeduringthependencyofproceedingsbeforethemundersubsection(2),revoketheorderofsuspension
ofaSarapanchorNaibSarapanchpassedundersubsection(1)orundersubsection(3).
(4)ASarapanchorNaibSarapanchonremovalfromofficeundersubsection(2)shallalsoceasetobeamemberoftheGramaPanchayatandsuch
personshallnotbeeligibleforelectionasamemberforaperiodnotexceedingfouryearsastheStateGovernmentmayspecify.
122.(1)Subjecttosuchgeneralorspecialorders,ifany,madeinthatbehalfbytheStateGovernmentthereshallbeaSecretaryandsuchofficersand
servants for the Grama Sasan as may be necessary for enabling the Grama Panchayat to exercise its powers, discharge its duties, and perform its
functionsforcarryingoutthepurposesofthisActandtherulesmadethereunderandthepowers,dutiesandfunctionsofsuchofficersandservants
shallbeasmaybeprescribed.
(2) All matters to the appointment, qualification, manner of recruitment of the Secretary and officers and servants and to their salary, allowances,
leave and all other conditions of service including the exercise of disciplinary control and supervision over such officers and servants shall be
governedbytherulesmadeinthatbehalf.
(3)NotwithstandinganythinginanyotherlawforthetimebeinginforcetheStateGovernmentmaywhenevertheyconsideritexpedientsotodo,
providebyrulesmadeinthatbehalfacommoncadreofpostsandservices
(a)foralloranyoftheGramsSasanswithintheStateorapartthereofor
(b)forallGramaSasansandSamitiswithinadistricttogetherwiththe
Parishad:or
(c)forallGramaSasanstogetherwithallSamitisandParishadswiththeState.
andallmattersincidentalorancillarytheretoandintheeventofanyconflictbetweentheprovisionsofanyotherlawasaforesaidandtheprovisions
ofthisAct,andtherulesmadethereunderthelattershallprevails.
123.SubjecttosuchgeneralorspecialordersissuedfromtimetotimebytheStateGovernmentinthatbehalftheSecretaryoftheGramaSasanshall
(a)maintaintherecordsoftheproceedingsofthemeetingsoftheGramaPanchayats
(b)remain in custody of all records and documents, cash and valuable securities belonging to or vested in or under the direction, management or
controloftheGramaSasanasprescribedand
(c)exercisesuchotherpowers,dischargesuchotherdutiesandperformsuchotherfunctionsasmaybeconferredorassignedtohimorunderthisAct.