(1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Panchayats and Panchayat Union Councils (Appointment of Special Officers) Act, 1991.

(2) It shall come into force at once.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,

(a) Panchayats Act means the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1958 (Tamil Nadu Act XXXV of 1958);

(b) words and expressions used and not defined in this Act but defined in the Panchayats Act shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in that Act.

(1)(a) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Panchayats Act, or in, any other law for the time being in force, the State Government shall, by notification, appoint Special Officers for the Panchayats and Panchayat Union Councils, as the case may be, to exercise the powers and perform the functions of

(i) the Panchayats and Panchayat Union Councils established or constituted by or under the Panchayats Act;

(ii) the Presidents of the Panchayats and the Chairmen of the Panchayat Union Councils and of the Committees established or constituted by or under the Panchayats Act;

(b) A Special Officer may be appointed under clause (a) for one or more panchayats or panchayat union councils, as the State Government may, by order, specify.

(2) Each Special Officer referred to in sub-section (1) may also exercise all or any of the powers and perform all or any of the functions of any other officer or authority under the Panchayats Act, which the State Government may, by notification, specify.

(3)(a) Each Special Officer appointed under sub-section (1) shall hold office for the period beginning at noon on the 3rd day of March, 1991 and ending at noon on the 10th day of April, 1991:

Provided that if any vacancy arises in the post of a Special Officer, the vacancy shall be filled up by the State Government and the person appointed in the vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the said period.

(b) The State Government may determine the relations of a Special Officer with themselves.

(1) The State Government may, by notification, authorise the Inspector of any other officer to exercise any of the powers rested in them under section 3, in respect of any panchayat.

(2) The exercise of any power delegated under sub-section (1) shall be subject to such restrictions and conditions as may be specified in the notification and subject also to control and revision by the State Government.

1. Received the assent of the Governor on the 22nd February, 1991 and published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, Extraordinary.