Constitution of India, 1949
243E. Duration of Panchayats, etc . —
(1) Every Panchayat, unless sooner dissolved under any law for
the time being in force, shall continue for five years from the date appointed
for its first meeting and no longer.
(2) No amendment of any law for the time being in force shall
have the effect of causing dissolution of a Panchayat at any level, which is
functioning immediately before such amendment, till the expiration of its
duration specified in clause (1).
(3) An election to constitute a Panchayat shall be completed—
(a) before the expiry of its duration
specified in clause (1);
(b) 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 Panchayat would have continued is less than six months, it
shall not be necessary to hold any election under this clause for constituting
the Panchayat.
(4) A Panchayat constituted upon the dissolution of a Panchayat
before the expiration of its duration shall continue only for the remainder of
the period for which the dissolved Panchayat would have continued under clause
(1) had it not been so dissolved.