The UNITED PROVINCES PANCHAYAT RAJ ACT

  
2 
 
 THE UNITED PROVINCES PANCHAYAT RAJ ACT, 19471 
[ U. P. ACT No. XXVI of 1947 ] 
Amended by 
U.P. Act No. X of 1950 
U.P. Act No. VI of 1952 
U.P. Act No. XVIII of 1952 
U.P. Act No. VI of 1954 
U.P. Act No. II of 1955 
U.P. Act No. 19 of 1957 
U.P. Act No. 15 of 1960 
U.P. Act No. 3 of 1961 
U.P. Act No. 33 of 1961 
U.P. Act No. 9 of 1962 
U.P. Act No. 20 of 1963 
U.P. Act No. 10 of 1965 
U.P. Act No. 20 of 1966 
U.P. Act No. 14 of 1968 
President Act No. 38 of 1968 
U.P. Act No. 6 of 1969 
U.P. Act No. 19 of 1970 
U.P. Act No. 18 of 1971 
U.P. Act No. 31 of 1972 
U.P. Act No. 3 of 1973 
U.P. Act No. 37 of 1978 
U.P. Act No. 27 of 1989 
U.P. Act No. 17 of 1990 
U.P. Act No. 09 of 1994 
U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995 
U.P. Act No. 29 of 1995 
U.P. Act No. 21 of 1998 
U.P. Act No. 27 of 1999 
U.P. Act No. 33 of 1999 
U.P. Act No. 22 of 2000 
U.P. Act No. 24 of 2001 
U.P. Act No. 12 of 2004 
U.P. Act No. 44 of 2007 
U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017 
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1. For statement of objects and reasons see Gazette, Extraordinary, dated August 8, 1946. 
[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947]  
4 
 [Passed by the United Provinces Legislative Assembly on 
June 5, 1947, and by the United Provisions Leg islative Counci l 
on September 16, 1947. 
Received the assent of the Gove rnor General of the 
Dominion of India on December 7, 1947, under section 76 of the 
Government of India Act, 1935, and was published in the United 
Provinces Government Gazette, dated December 27, 1947.] 
 AN 
ACT 
to establish and develop local self -government on the 
rural areas of the United Provinces.   
 WHEREAS it is expedient to establish and develop local self -
government in the rural areas of the United Provinces and to 
make better provision for vil lage administration and 
development; 
It is hereby enacted as follows :   
 CHAPTER I 
Preliminary 
Short title, 
extent and 
commencement 
1. (1) This Act may be called the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Raj 
Act, 1947. 
 (2) It shall extend to the whole of the United  Provinces except 
the area, which has been, or may hereafter be, declared as, or 
included in 1 [a city under the Uttar Pradesh, Nagar Mahapalika 
Adhiniyam, 1959, or] a municipality 2 (or) notified area under the 
provisions of the United Provinces Municipalit ies Act, 1916, or as a 
cantonment under the provisions of the Cantonments Act, 1924, or as 
a town area under the United Provinces Town Areas Act, 1914. 
3[ x x x ] 
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
Definitions 2. In this Act, unless there is anything r epugnant in the 
subject or conext, – 
 4(a) [ x x x ] 
 (b) ‘‘adult’’ means a person who has 5[attained the age of 
twenty-one years.]; 
6[(bb) ‘‘backward clas ses’’ means the backward classes  of 
citizens specified in Schedule -I of the Uttar Pradesh Public 
Services (Reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes 
and other Backward Classes) Act, 1994.] 
 4(c) [ x x x ] 
 
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1. Ins. by sec. 2 (a) of U.P. Act No. 37 of 1978. 
2. Subs. by sub-section (2) of section 2 of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 
3. Del. by sec. 2 (b) of U.P. Act no. 37 of 1978. 
4. Omitted by sec. 2 of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 
5. Subs. by sec. 3 (1) of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 
6. Ins. by sec.  3 (a) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
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 1(d) [ x x x ] 
 2[(e) ‘‘Collector’’ or ‘‘District Magistrate’’ or ‘‘Sub -divisional 
Magistrate’’, with references to a Gaon Sabha, means th e 
Collector, District Magi strate or Sub -Divisional Magistrate of 
the district or the s ub-division, as the case may  be, in which 
such Gram Sabha is constituted and shall respectively include 
Additional Collector, Additional District Magistrate and 
Additional Sub-Divisional Magistrate]; 
 3 [(ee)  ‘Electoral Registration Officer’ means an officer 
designated or  nominated or such by the State Election 
Commission in consultation with the State Government for 
preparing and revising the electoral rolls in a district;  
 (eee) ‘Assistant Elec toral Registration Officer’ means a 
person appointed as such by the Electoral Registration Officer 
for one or more Panchayat areas.] 
 4[(f) ‘Zila Panchayat’ shall have the meaning  assigned to it 
under clause (II ) of section 2 of the Uttar Pradesh Kshettra  
Panchayats and Zila Panchayats Adhiniyam, 1961. 
 (g) ‘Gram Sabha’ means a body established under section 
3, consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating 
to a village comprised within the area of a Gram Panchayat ; 
 (h) ‘Gram Panchaya t’ means the Gram Panchayat 
established under section 12;] 
 5[(hh) ‘Finance Commission’ means the Finance Commi -
ssion constituted under Article 243-I of the Constitution; 
 (hhh) ‘Kshettra Panchayat’ shall have the meaning 
assigned to it under clause (6) of section 2 of the Uttar Pradesh 
Kshettra Panchayats and Zila Panchayats Adhiniyam, 1961;] 
 6[(i) ‘‘Electoral Registration Officer’’ means an officer so 
nominated or designated under sub-section (1) of section 9]; 
 (j) 7[ x x x ] 
 (k) 1(x x x) 
 8 [(kk) ‘State Election Commission’ means the State Election 
Commission referred to in Article 243-K of the Constitution; 
 9[(kkk) ‘Mukhya Nirvachan Adhikari (Panchayat)’ means as officer 
of the State Government appointed, designated or nominated as such 
by the State Election Commission in consultation with the State 
Government;] 
 8(l) ‘population’ means the population as uncertained at the last 
proceeding cencus of which the relevant figures have been published; 
 8(ll) ‘Panchayat area’ means the territorial ar ea of a Gram 
Panchayat declared as such under sub -section (I) of  
section 11-F;] 
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1. Omitted by sec. 2 of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 
2. Add., and be deemed always to have been add. by sub-section (2) (i) of U.P. Act no. XIX of 1957.  
3. Ins. by sec. 2 of U.P. Act No. 12 of 2004. 
4. Subs. by sec. 3(b) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
5. Ins. by sec. 3(c) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
6. Subs. by sec. 3(b) of U.P. Act No. 37 of 1978. 
7. Del. by sec. 3(3) of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 
8. Subs. by sec. 3(d) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
9. Ins.  by sec. 2 of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
8 
U.P. Act III of 
1901 
(m) 1[ x x x] 
U.P. Act No. I of 
1951 
2 [(mm) ‘‘Public property’’ and ‘‘public land’’ means any 
public building, park or garden or other place to which for the 
time being the public have or are permitted to have access 
whether on payment or otherwise]; 
 (n) ‘‘public servant’’ means a public servant as defined in 
section 21 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; 
 (o) ‘‘public street’’ means any road, street, bridge, lane, 
square, court, alley or passage which the public has a right to 
pass along, and in cludes on either side the drains or gutters 
and the land up to the defined boundary of any abutting 
property notwithstanding any projection over such land of any 
verandah or other superstructure; 3[but does not include any 
such road, street, bridge, lane, square, court, alley or passage 
owned, maintained or repaired by the State Government or the 
Central Government or any other local authority] 
 (p) ‘‘prescribed’’ means prescribed by this Act or rules 
made thereunder; 
 4[(q) ‘Prescribed authority’ means : 
 (i) for the purposes of the provisions of this Act mentioned 
in Schedule III of the 5[Uttar Pradesh Kshettra Panchayats and 
Zila Panchayats Adh iniyam, 1961], the Zila Panchayats or the 
Kshettra Panchayats , as may be specified in column 3 of that 
Schedule, and 
 (ii) in respect of any other provisions of this Act the 
authority notified as such by the State Government whether 
generally or for any particular purpose;] 
 (r) 6[ x x x ] 
 (s) 7[ x x x ] 
 8 [(ss) ‘‘Sub -Divisional Officer’’ includes Additional Sub-
Divisional Officer designated or appointed as such by the 
appropriate authority] 
 (t) ‘‘village’’ means any local area, recorded as a village in 
the revenue records of the district in which it is situate 9[and 
includes any area which the State Governm ent may by general 
or special order, declare to be a village for the purposes of this 
Act.] 
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1. Del. by sec. 3(d) of U.P. Act No. 37 of 1978. 
2. Added by sub-section (5) of section 3 of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 
3. Added by sub-section (6) of section 3 of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 
4. Subs. by Schedule VIII (II) of U.P. Act No. 33 of 1961. 
5. Subs. by sec. 3(e) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
6. Del. by sub-section (7) of section 3 of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 
7. Omitted by sec. 2 of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 
8. Add. by section 2(2) of U.P. Act No. 19 of 1957. 
9. Added by sub-section (9) of section 3 of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
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 (u) 1[ x x x ] 
 (v) 1[ x x x ] 
 (w) 2[ x x x ] 
 3[(x) ‘‘Bhumi Prabandhak Samiti’’ means a Bhumi Praban -
dhak Samiti established deemed to be established under 
section 28-A] 
 CHAPTER II 
Establishment and Constitution of Gram Sabhas 
Gram Sabha  4[3. (1) The State Government shall, by notification in the 
official Gazet te, es tablish a Gram Sabha for a village or group of 
villages by such name as may be specified : 
 Provided that where a Gram Sabha is established for a group 
of villages, the same of the village having the largest population shall 
be specified as the name of the Gram Sabha.] 
 5 [(3-A) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other 
provisions of this Act, when, due to unavoidable circumstances or in 
public interest, it is not pr acticable to hold an election to  constitute a 
Gram Panchayat before the expiry of its duration, the State 
Government or an officer authorised by it in this behalf may, by order, 
appoint an administrative Committee consisting of such number of 
persons qualified to be elected as members of the Gram Panchayat, as 
it may consider proper or an Administrator and the members of the 
Administrative Committee or the Administrator shall hold office for 
such period not exceeding six months as may be specified in the said 
order and all powers, functions and duties of the Gram Panchayat, its 
Pradhan and Committees shall vest in and he exercised, performed 
and discharged by such Administrative Committees or the 
Administrator, as the case may be.] 
 4. 6[ x x x ] 
 5. 6[ x x x ] 
 7[CHAPTER II-A 
Disqualifications of members of Gram Panchayat and  
electoral rolls etc.] 
Disqualification 
for membership 
8[5-A. A person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and 
for being a member of a Gram Panchayat, if he– 
 (a) in so disqualified by or under any law for the time being 
in force for the purposes of elections to the State Legislature : 
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1. Del. by sub-section (10) of section 3 of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 
2. Del. by sub-section 3(c) of U.P. Act No. 37 of 1978. 
3. Subs. by schedule VIII (ii) of U.P. Act No. 33 of 1961. 
4. Subs. by sec. 4 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
5. Ins. by sec. 2 of U.P. Act No. 22 of 2000.  
6. Omit. by sec. 5 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
7. Ins. by sec. 6 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
8. Subs. by sec.  7 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
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 Provided that no person shall be disqualified on the 
ground that he is less than twenty -five years of age, if he has 
attained the age of twenty-one years ; 
 (b) is a salaried servant of the Gram Panchayat 1[x x x]; 
 (c) holds any offices of profit under a Stat e Government or 
the Central Government or a 2[local authority, other than a 
Gram Panchayat 3[x x x]  or a Board, Body or Corporation 
owned or controlled by State Government or the Central 
Government]; 
 (d) has been dismissed from the service of a State 
Government, the Central Government or a local authority  
4[x x x] for misconduct; 
 (e) In arrears of any tax, fee, rate or any other dues payable 
by him to the Gram Panchayat, Kshettra Panchayat or Zila 
Panchayat for such period as may be prescribed, or has,  in 
spite of being required to do so by the Gram Panchayat, Nyaya 
Panchayat, Kshettra Panchayat or Zila Panchayat failed to 
deliver to it any recored or property belonging to it which had 
come into his possession by virtue of his holding any office 
under it ; 
 (f) is an undischarged insolvent; 
 (g) has been convicted of an offence involving moral 
turpitude; 
 (h) has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term 
exceeding three months for contravention of any order made 
under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955; 
 (i) has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term exceeding 
six months or to transportation for contravention of any order 
made under the Essential Supplies (Temporary Powers) Act, 1946 
or the U.P. Control of Supplies (Temporary Powers) Act, 1947; 
 (j) has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term 
exceeding three months under the U.P. Excise Act, 1910; 
 (k) has been convicted of an offence under the Narcotic 
Drugs and Psychotrapic Substances Act, 1985; 
 (l) has been convicted of an election offence; 
 (m) has been convicted of an offence under the U.P. 
Removal of Social Disabilities Act, 1947 or the Protection of 
Civil Rights Act, 1955; or 
 (n) has been removed from office under sub -clause (iii) or 
(iv) of clause (g) of sub -section (1) of section 9 5 unless such 
period as has been provided in that behalf in the said section 
or such lesser period as the State Government may have 
ordered in any particular case, has elasped : 
 
 
 
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1. Omit. by sec. 3(a) of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 
2. Subs. by sec. 2 of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1998. 
3. Omit. by sec. 3(b) of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 
4. Omit. by sec. 3(c) of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
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 Provided that the period of disqualification under clauses 
(d), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l) or (m) shall be five years from such 
date as may be prescribed : 
 Provided further that the disqualification under claus e (e) 
shall cease upon payment of arrears or delivery of the record 
or property, as the case may be : 
 Provided also that a disqualification under any of the 
clauses referred to in the first proviso may, in the manner 
prescribed, be removed by the State Government.] 1 
 5-B. 2[ x x x ] 
Cessation of 
membership 
3[6. (1) A 4[member of a Gram Panchayat] shall cease to be 
such member if the entry relating to that member is deleted from the 
electoral 5[roll for a territorial constituency of Gram Panchayat]]. 
 6[(2) Where any person ceases to be a member of a 7[Gram 
Panchayat] under sub-section (1) he shall also cease to hold any office 
to which he may have been elected, nominated or appointed by 
reasons of his being a member thereof.] 
Decision on 
question as to 
disqualifications 
8[6-A. If any question arises as to whether [a person has 
become subject to any disqualification mentioned in sections 5 -A] or 
in sub -section (1) of section 6, the question shall be referred to the 
prescribed authority for the decision and his decision shall, subject to 
the result of any appeal as may be prescribed, be final.]  
 7. 9[ x x x ] 
Effect of change 
in population or 
inclusion of the 
area of a 10[Gram 
Panchayat] in 
municipalities 
etc. 
8. If the whole of the area of a 10[Gram Panchayat] is included 
in a 11[city, municipality], cantonment notified area or town area, the 
11[Gram Panchayat] shall cease and its assets and liabilities shall be 
disposed of in the manner prescribed. If a part of such area is so 
included, its jurisdiction shall be reduced by that part. 
Electoral roll for 
each territorial 
constituency 
12 [9. (1) For each territorial constituency of a 11[Gram 
Panchayat], an electoral roll shall be prepared, in accordance with the 
provisions of this Act, 13 [and the rule made the re] under the 
superintendents, direction and control of the State Election 
Commission. 
 14[(1-A) Subject to the superintendence, direction and control 
of the State Election Commission, the Mukhya Nirvachan Adhikari 
(Panchayat) shall supervise and perform a ll function relating to the 
preparation, revision and correction of the electoral roll in the State in 
accordance with this Act and the rules made thereunder.  
——————————————————————————————————————————  
 1. Subs. by sec.  7 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
 2. Omit. by sec. 8 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994.  
 3. Subs. by sec. 3 of U.P. Act No. 6 of 1969. 
 4. Subs. by sec. 9(a)(i) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994.  
 5. Subs. by sec. 9(a)(ii) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994.  
 6. Subs. by sec. 7 of U.P. Act No. 2 of 1955. 
 7. Subs. by sec. 9(b) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
 8. Subs. and del. by section 4 of U.P. Act No. 6 of 1969. 
 9. Deleted by section 9 of U.P. Act No. II of 1955. 
10. Subs. by sec. 10 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
11. Subs. by section 5 of U.P. Act No. 37 of 1978. 
12. Subs. by section 11 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
13. Subs. by sec. 4(a) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 
14. Ins. by sec. 4(b) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
16 
 (I-B) The preparation revision and correction of the electoral 
rolls shall be done by such persons, and in such manner, as may be 
prescribed.] 1 
 (2) The electo ral roll referred to in sub -section (1) shall be 
published in the prescribed manner and upon its publication it shall, 
subject to any alteration, addition or modification made 2 [in 
accordance with this Act, and the rule made there  under] be the 
electoral roll for that territorial constituency prepared in accordance 
with the provisions of this Act. 
 (3) Subject to the provisions of sub -sections (4), (5), (6) and (7) 
every person who has attained the age of 18 years on the first day of 
January of the year in  which the electoral roll is prepared or revised 
and who is ordinarily resident in the territorial constituency of a 
Gram Panchayat shall be entitled  to be registered in the electoral roll 
for that territorial constituency. 
 Explanation– 
 (i) A person shall not be deemed to be ordinarily resident in 
the territorial constituency on the ground ony that be owns, or 
is in possession of, a dwelling house therein. 
 (ii) A person absenting himself temporarily from his place 
of ordinary residence shall not by re ason thereof cease to be 
ordinarily resident therein. 
 (iii) A member of Parliament or of the Legislature of the 
State shall not, during the term of his office, cease to be 
ordinarily resident in the territorial constituency merely by 
reason of his absenc e from that area in connection with his 
duties as such member. 
 (iv) Any other factor that may be prescribed shall be taken 
into consideration for deciding as to what persons may or may 
not be deemed to be ordinarily residents of a particular area at 
any relevant time. 
 (v) If in any case a question arises as to where a person is 
ordinarily resident at any relevant time, the question shall be 
determined with reference to all the facts of the case. 
 (4) A person shall be disqualified for registration in an electoral 
roll, if he— 
 (a) is not a citizen of India ; or 
 (b) is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a 
competent court ; or 
 (c) is for the time being disqualified from voting under the 
provisions of any law relating to corrupt practices and o ther 
offences in connection with elections. 
 (5) The name of any person who becomes disqualified under 
sub-section (4) after registration shall forthwith be struck off the 
electoral roll in which it is included : 
 Provided that the name of any person str uck off the electoral 
roll by reason of any such disqualification shall forthwith be 
reinstated in that roll, if such disqualification is, during the period 
such roll is in force, removed under any law authorising such 
removal. 
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1. Ins. by sec. 4(b) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 
2. Subs. by sec. 4(c) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
18 
 (6) No person shall be entitled to be registered in the electoral 
roll for more than one territorial constituency or more than once in 
the electoral roll for the same territorial constituency. 
 (7) No person shall be entitled to be regis tered in the electoral 
roll for any territorial constituency if his name is entered in any 
electoral roll pertaining to any city, municipality or cantonment 
unless he shows that his name has been struck off such electoral roll. 
 (8) Where the 1 [Electoral Registration Officer or Assistant 
Electoral Registration Officer] is satisfied after making such inquiry as 
it may deem fit, whether on an application made to it or on its own 
motion, that any entry in the electoral roll should be corrected or 
deleted or that the name of any person entitled to be registered should 
be added in the electoral roll, it shall, subject to the provisions of this 
Act and rules and orders made thereunder, correct, delete or add the 
entry, as the case may be : 
 Provided that no such  correction, deletion or addition shall be 
made after the last date for making nominations for an election in the 
Gram Panchayat and before the completion of that election : 
 Provided further that no deletion or correction of any entry in 
respect of any p erson affecting his interest adversely shall be made 
without giving him reasonable opportunity of being heard in respect of 
the action proposed to be taken in relation to him. 
 (9) The State Election Commission may, if it thinks it 
necessary so to do for the purposes of a general or by -election, direct 
a special revision of the electoral roll for any territorial constituency of 
a Gram Panchayat in such manner as it may think fit : 
 Provided that subject to the other provisions of this Act, the 
electoral roll for the territorial constituency, as in force at the time of 
issue of any such direction, shall continue to be in force until the 
completion of the special revision so directed. 
 (10) 2[In so far as provision is not made by this Act or the rules 
the S tate Election Commission ] may by order, make provisions in 
respect of the following matters concerning the electoral roll, namely– 
 (a) the date on which the electoral roll prepared under this 
Act shall come into force and its period of operation; 
 (b) the correction of any existing entry in the electoral roll 
on the application of the elector concerned; 
 (c) the correction of electoral or printing errors in electoral 
roll ; 
 (d) the inclusion in the electoral roll of the name of any 
person– 
 (i) whose name in included in the Assembly electoral 
roll for the area relatable to the territorial constituency but 
is not inclued in the electoral roll for that territorial 
constituency or whose name has been wrongly included in 
the electoral roll for some other territorial constituency, or 
——————————————————————————————————————————  
1 . Subs. by sec. 3 of U.P. Act No. 12 of 2004. 
2. Subs. by sec. 4(d) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
20 
 (ii) whose name is not an included in the Assembly 
electoral roll but who is otherwise qualified to be registered 
in the electoral roll for the territorial constituency; 
 (e) the custody and preservation of the electoral roll ; 
 (f) fees payable on applications for inclusion or exclusion of 
names ; 
 (g) generally all matters relating to the preparation and 
publication of the electoral roll. 
 (11) Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing sub -
sections, the State Election Commission may, for the purposes of 
preparation of the electoral roll for a territorial Constituency adopt the 
electoral roll for the Assembly cons tituency prepared under the 
Representation of the People Act, 1950 for the time being in force so 
far as it relates to the area of that territorial constituency : 
 Provided that the electoral roll for such territorial constituency 
shall not include any am endment, alteration or correction made after 
the last date for making nomination for the election of such 
constituency and before the completion of such election. 
 (12) No civil court shall have jurisdiction— 
 (a) to entertain or adjudicate upon the ques tion whether 
any person is or is not entitled to be registered in an electoral 
roll for a territorial constituency ; or 
 (b) to question the legality of any action taken by or under 
the authority of the State Election  Commission 1[or of any 
decision given  by any authorities  or office appointed in this 
behalf] in respect of preparation and publication of electoral 
rolls. 
Right to vote etc. 9-A. Except as otherwise provided by or under this Act, every 
person whose name is for the time being included in the electoral roll 
for a territorial constituency 2[of a Gram Panchayat] shall be entitled 
to vote at any election and be eligible for election, nomination or 
appointment to any office in the Gram Panchayat 3[ x x x ] : 
 [Provided that a person who has not co mpleted the age of 
twenty-one years shall not be qualified to be elected as a member or 
office bearer of the Gram Panchayat.] 4 
 
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1. Ins. by section 4 (e) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 
2. Ins. by section 5(a) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 
3. Omit. by section 4 of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 
4. Subs. by section 11 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
22 
Removal of 
difficulty in the 
establishment of 
Gram Sabha and 
in the working of 
a Gram 
Panchayat 
10. If in establishing a Gram  Sabha or in the working of a 
Gram Panchayat, any dispute or difficu lty arises regarding the 
interpretation of any provision of this Act or any rule made 
thereunder or any matter arising out of or relating to such 
interpretation or any matter not provided in this Act, the same shall 
be referred to the State Government whos e decision thereon shall be 
final and conclusive. 
 CHAPTER III 
The Gram Sabha Its Meetings and Functions 
1[Meeting and 
functions of 
Gram Sabha] 
2[11. (1) Every Gram Sabha shall hold two general meetings in 
each year, one soon after harvesting of the kharif crop (hereinafter 
called the kharif meeting) and the other soon after harvesting of the 
rabi crop (hereinafter called the rabi meeting 3[which shall be presided 
over by the Pradhan of the concerned Gram Panchayat]) :  
 Provided that the Pradhan at any time may, or upon a 
requisition in writing by the prescribed authority or by not less than 
one-fifth of the number of the members shall, within thirty days from 
the receipt of such requisition, call an extraordinary general meeting. 
The time and pla ce of a ll the meetings of the Gram  Sabha shall be 
published in the prescribed manner : 
 Provided further that where the Pradhan fails to call a meeting 
as aforesaid the prescribed authority may do so within a period to be 
prescribed. 
 (2) For any meeting of the Gram Sabha one-fifth of the member 
of members shall form the quorum; provided that no quorum shall be 
necessary for a meeting adjourned for want of quorum. 
 4[(3) The Gram Sabha shall consider the following matters and 
may make recommendations and suggestions to the Gram 
Panchayat,— 
 (a) the annual statement of accounts of the Gram Panchayat, 
the report of administration of the proceeding financial year and the 
last audit note and replies, if any, made thereto ; 
 (b) the report in respect of development  programmes of the 
Gram Panchayat relating to the preceeding year and the development 
programmes proposed to be undertaken during the current financial 
year; 
 (c) the promotion of unity and harmony among all sections of 
society in the village ; 
 (d) programmes of adult education within the village ; 
 (e) such other matters as may be prescribed. 
 
——————————————————————————————————————————  
1. Subs. by section 12(a) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
2. Subs. by section 11 of U.P. Act No. 2 of 1955. 
3. Ins. by section 12(b) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994.  
4. Ins. by section 12(c) of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
24 
 (4) the Gram Panchayat shall give due consideration to the 
recommendations and suggestions of the Gram Sabha. 
 (5) The Gram Sabha shall perform the following functions 
namely :— 
 (a) Mobilising voluntary labour and contributions for the 
community welfare programmes ; 
 (b) Identification of beneficiaries for the imp lementation of 
development schemes pertaining to the village; 
 (c) Rendering assistance in the implementation of 
development schemes pertaining to the village.] 
 1[CHAPTER III-A 
Gram Panchayats] 
Pradhan and      
2[x x x] of Gram 
Panchayat 
3[11–A 4[(1) There shall be a Pradhan 2[x x x] of the Gram 
Panchayat who shall be the Chairperson thereof.] 
 (2) The State Government shall, by order, reserve offices of 
Pradhans for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the 
backward classes : 
 Provided that the number of offices of Pradhanas reserved for 
the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the backward classes 
in the State shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to 
the total number of such offices as the population of the Scheduled 
Castes in the State or of the Scheduled Tribes in the State or of the 
backward classes in the State bears in the total population of the 
State : 
 Provided further that the reservation for the backward classes 
shall not exceed twenty-seven per cent of the total number of offices of 
Pradhans. 
 5 [Provided also that if the figures of population of the 
backward classes are not available, their population may be 
determined by carrying out a survey in the prescribed manner.] 
 (3) Not less than one -third of the tot al number of offices of 
Pradhans reserved under sub -section (2) shall be reserved for women 
belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the 
backward classes. 
 (4) Not less than one -third of the total number of offices of 
Pradhans, including the number of office of Pradhans reserved under 
sub-section (3), shall be reserved for women. 
 
 
——————————————————————————————————————————  
1. Ins. by section 13 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
2. Omit. by section 2 of U.P. Act No. 44 of 2007. 
3. Subs. by section 14 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
4. Subs. by section 3 of U.P. Act No. 44 of 2007. 
5. Ins. by section 6 of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
26 
 (5) The offices of the Pradhans reserved under this sectio n 
shall be allotted by rotation to different Gram Panchayats in such 
order as may be prescribed. 
 (6) The reservation of the offices of Pradhans for the Scheduled 
Castes and the Scheduled Tribes under this section shall cease to 
have effect on the expirat ion of the period specified in Article 334 of 
the Constitution. 
 Explanation :— 
 It is clarified that nothing in this section shall prevent persons 
belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes the 
backward classes and the women from contesting  election to 
unreserved seats.] 1 
Election of 
Pradhans 
2[11-B (1) The Pradhan of the Gram Panchayat shall be elected 
by the persons registered in the electoral rolls for the territorial 
constituencies of the Panchayat area from amongst themselves. 
 (2) I f at any general election to a Gram Panchayat, the 
Pradhan is not elected, and less than two -thirds of the total member 
of Gram Panchayat are  elected, the State Government or  an officer 
authorised by it in this behalf may, by order, either appoint.  
 (i) an Administrative Committee consisting of such number 
of persons qualified to be elected as members of the Gram 
Panchayat, as it may consider proper, or 
 (ii) an Administrator. 
 (3) The members of the Administrative Committee or the 
Administrator shall ho ld office for such period not exceeding six 
months as the State Government may specify in the order referred to 
in sub-section (2). 
 (4) On the appointment of an Administrative Committee or an 
Administrator under sub -section (2), the person, if any, chose n as 
Pradhan or member of the Gram Panchayat before such appointment 
shall cease to be such Pradhan or member,  as the case may be, and 
all powers, functions and duties of the Gram Panchayat, its Pradhan 
and Committees shall vest in an be exercised performe d and 
discharged by such Administrative Committee or the Administration 
as the case may be. 
 (5) The Administrative Committee or the Administrator shall be 
deemed to be duly constituted Gram Panchayat for the purposes of 
this Act : 
 Provided that if at a ny time after the appointment of the 
Administrative Committee or the Adminisrator under sub -section (2), 
the State Government is satisfied that there is no difficulty in duly 
constituting the Gram Panchayat the State Government may, 
notwithstanding that th e period for which the Administrative 
Committee or the Administrator had been appointed has not expired 
direct the State Election Commission for holding the elections for 
constituting the Gram Panchayat. 
——————————————————————————————————————————  
1. Subs. by section 14 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
2. Subs. by section 15 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
28 
 (6) Except as otherwise provided in this act, the term of office 
of Pradhan shall be coterminus with the term of the Gram Panchayat. 
 11-C. 1[ x x x ] 
Prohibition of 
holding certain 
offices 
simultaneously 
2[11-D. No person shall simultaneously—  
 (a) be the Pradhan of a Gram Panchayat or 3[ x x x ] ; 
 (b) be a member of a Gram Panchayat for more than one 
territorial constituency,  3[ x x x ] ; or 
 (c) be a member of a Gram Panchayat 3[ x x x ]; 
 (d) hold any office in more than one Gram Panchayat  
3[ x x x ] ; 
 and the rules may provide for the vacation of all but one office by any 
person chosen to fill offices which he cannot hold simultaneously]. 
Further bar on 
holding two 
offices 
simultaneoulsy 
[11-E. (1) A person shall be disqualified for being elected to or 
holding the office of Pradhan or member of Gram Panchayat  4[ x x x ], 
if he is— 
 (a) a member of Parliament or of the State Legislature, or 
 5 [(b) member, Pramukh or Up -Pramukh of a Kshettra 
Panchayat ; or 
 (c) member, Adhyaksha or Upadhyaksha of a Zila 
Panchayat;] 
 (d) Adhyaksha or Upadhyaksha of any co-operative society; 
 (2) A person shall cease to hold the Office of Pradhan or 
member of the Gram Panchayat  6[ x x x ] , as the case may be, if 
subsequently he is elected to any of the offices mentioned in clauses 
(a) to (d) of sub -section (1) with effect from the date of such 
subsequent election and a c asual vacancy shall thereupon occur in 
the office of such Pradhan or member or Panch, as the case may be.] 
 
——————————————————————————————————————————  
1. Omit. by section 4 of U.P. Act No. 44 of 2007. 
2. Subs. by section 17 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994. 
3. Omit. by section 5 of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 
4. Omit. by section 6(a) of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 
5. Subs. by section 3(a) of U.P. Act No. 29 of 1995. 
6. Omit. by section 6(b) of U.P. Act No. 6 of 2017. 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
30 
 1 [(3) Notwithstanding anything in this Act, if in the first 
elections held af ter the commencement of the Uttar Pradesh 
Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Act, 1994 to constitute Panchayats at 
the village khand and district levels, a person is chosen member of 
Panchayats at two or more levels, he shall submit his resignation from 
all but on e of these seats within sixty days of the date of the 
declaration of the results of elections, or if the declaration of the 
results of elections in respect of the Panchayats at the said two or 
more levels has been made on different dates, within sixty days  of the 
last of such dates and in the event of failure to so resign seats in all 
the Panchayats except the seat in the highest level amongst the 
Panchayats to which he has been elected shall be deemed vacant.] 
Declaration of 
Panchayat area 
2[11-F. (1) The State Government may, by notification, declare 
any area comprising a village of group of villages, having, so far as 
practicable a population of one thousand, to be a Panchayat area for 
the purposes of this Act by such name as may be specified : 
 Provided that for the purpose of declaration of a Panchayat 
area no revenue village or any hamlet thereof shall be divided : 
 3[Provided further that in the hill districts of Nainital, Almora 
Pithoragarh, Tehri, Pauri, Dehradun, Chamoli or Uttarkashi, the State 
Government may declare the area of a Gaon Sabha established under 
section 3 of this Act as it stood before the commencement of the Uttar 
Pradesh Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Act, 1994, to be a Panchayat 
area though such area may have population of less than one 
thousand.] 
 (2) The State Government may, on the request of the Gram 
Panchayat concerned of otherwise, and after previous publication of 
the proposal, by notification at any time – 
 (a) modify the area of any Panchayat area by including 
therein or excluding therefrom any area of a village or group of 
villages; 
 (b) after the name of the Panchayat area; or 
 (c) declare that any area shall cease to be a Panchayat 
area. 
Gram Panchayat 4[12. (1) (a) There shall be established, for every Panchayat 
area, a Gram Pranchayat hearing the name of the Panchayat area.  
 (b) Every Gram Panchayat shall be a body corporate.  
 (c) A Gram Panchayat shall consist of a Pradhan and, in the 
case of a Panchayat area having a population of— 
 (i) 5[up to one thousand], nine members; 
——————————————————————————————————————————  
1. Ins. by section 3(b) of U.P. Act No. 29 of 1995. 
2. Subs. by section 17 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994 
3. Subs. by section 7 of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995. 
4. Subs. by section 17 of U.P. Act No. 9 of 1994 
5. Subs. by section 8(a) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
32 
 (ii) more than o ne thousand but not more than two 
thousand, eleven members; 
 (iii) more than two thousand but not more than three 
thousand, thirteen members; or 
 (iv) more than three thousand, fifteen members. 
 (d) For the purpose of election of members of Gram Panchay at 
every Panchayat area shall be divided into territorial constituencies in 
such manner that the ratio between the population of each 
constituency and the member of seats allotted to it shall so far as 
practicable be the same throughout the Panchayat area. 
 (e) Each territorial constituency of a Gram Panchayat shall be 
represented by one member in the Gram Panchayat. 
 1[(f) The territorial constituencies of a Gram Panchayat may be 
delimitated in the prescribed manner and, if necessary, rules in the 
regard may be made with retrospective effect from a date not earlier 
than the date of commencement of the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Laws 
(Amendment) Act, 1994] 
 (2) 2[x x x ] 
 (3) (a) A Gram Panchayat shall, unless sooner dissolved under 
clause (f) of sub -section (1) of section 95, continue for five years from 
the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer; 
 (b) An election to constitute a Gram Panchayat shall be 
completed — 
 (i) before the expiry of its duration specified in clause (a) ; 
 (ii) before the expiration of a period of six months from the 
date of its dissolution : 
 Provided that where the remainder of the period for which the 
dissolved Gram Panchayat would have continued is less than six 
months. It shall not be necessary to hold any electio n under this sub-
section for constituting the Gram Panchayat. 
 (c) A Gram Panchayat constituted upon the dissolution of a 
Gram Panchayat before the expiration of its duration shall continue 
only for the remainder of the period for which the dissolved Gram  
Panchayat would have continued under clause (a) had it not been so 
dissolved. 
 (d) The constitution of a Gram Panchayat shall be notified in 
such manner as may be prescribed and thereupon the Gram 
Panchayat shall be deemed to have been duly constituted, any 
vacancy therein not withstanding : 
 Provided that the constitution of a Gram Panchayat shall not 
be so notified till the Pradhan and at least two -thirds of the members 
of the Gram Panchayat have been elected. 
 
——————————————————————————————————————————  
1. Ins. by section 8a(ii) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995 
2. Omit.  by section 8(b) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
34 
 1 [(3-A) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other 
provisions of this Act, where, due to unavoidable circumstances or in 
public interest, it is not practicable to hold an election to constitute a 
Gram Panchayat before the expiry of its duration, the Sta te 
Government or an officer authorized by it in this behalf may, by order, 
appoint an administrative committee consisting of such number of 
persons qualified to the elected as members of the Gram Panchayat, 
as it may consider proper or an Administrator and the members of the 
Administrative Committee or the Administrator shall hold office for 
such period not exceeding six months as may be specified in the said 
order and all powers, functions and duties of the Gram Panchayat, its 
Pradhan and Committees shall vest in and be exercised, performed 
and discharged by such Administrative Committee or the 
Administration, as the case may be.] 
 (4) The term of a member of Gram Panchayat shall, unless 
otherwise determined under the provisions of this Act, expire with th e 
term of the Gram Panchayat. 
 (5) (a) In every Gram Panchayat, seats shall be reserved for the 
Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes a nd the backward classes 
and the number of seats so reserved shall, as nearly as may be, bear 
the same proportion to the  total number of seats in the Gram 
Panchayat, as the population of the Scheduled Castes in the 
Panchayat area or of the Scheduled Tribes in the Panchayat area or of 
the backward classes in the Panchaayat area bears to the total 
population of such area and such seats may be allotted by rotation to 
different territorial constituencies in a Gram Panchayat in such order 
as may be prescribed : 
 Provided that the reservation for the backward classes shall 
not exceed twenty -seven per cent of the total number of s eats in the 
Gram Panchayat : 
 2 [Provided further that if the figures of population of the 
backward classes are not available, their population may be 
determined by carrying out a survey in the prescribed manner.] 
 (b) Not less than one -third of the seats  reserved under clauses 
(a) shall be reserved for the women belonging respectively to the 
Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the backward classes. 
 (c) Not less than one -third of the total number of seats in a 
Gram Panchayat, including the number of seats reserved the women 
under clause (b), shall be reserved for women and such seats may be 
allotted by rotation to different territorial constituencies in a Gram 
Panchayat in such order as may be prescribed. 
 (d) The reservation of seats for the Sche duled Castes and the 
Scheduled Tribes shall cease to have effect on the expiration of the 
period specified in Article 334 of the Constitution. 
——————————————————————————————————————————  
1. Ins. by section 2 of U.P. Act No. 22 of 2000. 
2. Ins. by section 8(c) of U.P. Act No. 21 of 1995 

[The United Provinces Panchayat Raj  Act, 1947] 
36 
 Explanation — 
 It is clarified that nothing in this section shall prevent the 
persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and 
the backward classes and the women from contesting elec tion to 
unreserved seats. 
 (6) The Pradhan shall be deemed a member of the Gram 
Panchayat. ]1 
Manner of 
election 
12-A. The election to the office of a Pradhan 2 [ x x x ]  
3[ x x x] or a member of Gram Panchayat shall be held by secret ballot 
in the manner prescribed. 
Allowance to 
Pradhan, 2[xxx] 
and members 
4[12-AA. (1) The Pradhan and 2[ x x x ] of the Gram Panchayat 
shall receive such allowances and honoraria as may be prescribed.  
 (2) The member of a Gram Panchayat, other than Pradhan and 
2[ x x x ] shall receive such allowances as may be prescribed.] 
Meeting of Gram 
Panchayat 
5[12-B. (1) A Gaon Panchayat shall ordinarily meet for the 
transaction or business at least once every month but two months 
shall not intervene between two consecutive meetings : 
 Provided that the date to be appointed for the first meeting of a 
Gram Panchayat, shall be within thirty days from the date of its 
constitution. 
 (2) The meetings of the Gram  Panchayat shall be held at such 
place and in such manner as may be prescribed.] 
Superintendence 
etc. of the 
election 
6[12-BB. (1) The superi

Excerpt shown. Open the full act in Lexace.

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