Part VIII, Ext. No. 66, L. A. BILL No. LXXIX OF 2025 A BILL further to amend the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act. Monday, 14th July 2025.

RNI No. MAHENG /2009/35528 महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग आठ वर्षष ११, अंक २८(२)] सोमवारा, जुलैै १४, २०२५/आर्षाढ २३, शाके १९४७ [पष्ृठ े३ किंकमं त : रुपये े२७.०० असाधााराण क्रमांक ६६ प्रााकिंधाकृत प्राकाशान महाारााष्ट्र किंवधाानमंडळााचेे अकिंधाकिंनयेम व रााज्येपालैांनी प्राख्येाकिंपत केलैेलैे अध्येादेेशा व केलैेलैे किंवकिंनयेम आकिंण किंवकिंधा व न्येाये किंवभाागाकडून आलैेलैी किंवधाेयेके (इंंग्रजी अनुवादे). In pursuance of clause (3) of article 348 of the Constitution of India, the following translation in English of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2025 (L. A. BILL No. LXXIX of 2025), introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the 14th July 2025, is hereby published under the authority of the Governor. By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra, SATISH WAGHOLE, Secretary to Government, Law and Judiciary Department. L. A. BILL No. LXXIX OF 2025. A BILL further to amend the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act. III of WHEREAS, it is expedient further to amend the Maharashtra Village 1959. Panchayats Act, for the purposes hereinafter appearing ; it is hereby enacted in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India, as follows :— 1. This Act may be called the Maharashtra Village Panchayats (Amendment Short title. and Validation) Act, 2025. III of 2. In section 176 of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act (hereinafter Amendment of 1959. referred to as “the principal Act) ”,— section 176 of III of 1959. (a) in sub-section (5), the brackets, words, letters and figure “ (except rules made under clause (xxvi) of sub-section (2)) ” shall be deleted and shall be deemed to have been deleted with effect from the 15th August 1975 ; (१) भाग आठ-६६–१2 महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग आठ, जुलैै १४, २०२५/आर्षाढ २३, शाके १९४७ (b) sub-section (6) shall be deleted and shall be deemed to have been deleted with effect from the 15th August 1975. 3. Notwithstanding anything contained in the principal Act or in any Validation and savings. judgment, decree or order of any court, tribunal or authority, where any rule has been made under clause (xxvi) of sub-section (2) of section 176 of the principal Act, without laying of preliminary rules before the State Legislature under sub-section (6) of section 176 of the principal Act, shall be deemed to have been validly made and shall be deemed always to have been valid and effective in accordance with law and no such rules or any notifications or orders made thereunder shall be called in question in any court merely on the ground that the provisions of sub-section (6) of section 176 of the principal Act have not been complied with.महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग आठ, जुलैै १४, २०२५/आर्षाढ २३, शाके १९४७ 3 STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS The Panchayats constituted under article 243B of the Constitution of India are the institutions of self-government for rural areas. Section 124 of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act (III of 1959) empowers the Panchayat to levy taxes and fees, subject to minimum and maximum rates which may be fixed by the State Government and in such manner and subject to such exemptions as may be prescribed. 2. The taxes and fees are main sources of income of the Panchayats. The provision contained in sub-section (6) of section 176 of the said Act for laying of the draft rules regarding taxes and fees made under section 124, before each House of the State Legislature prior to their final publication defers the implementation of such rules. It may affect the collection of the taxes and fees of the Panchayats and ultimately income of the Panchayats. Therefore, the Government considers it expedient to provide that such rules shall be laid before each House of the State Legislature after they are made similar to laying of other rules made under the said Act. For the above purposes, it is proposed to amend section 176 of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, with retrospective effect, suitably. 3. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives. Mumbai, JAYKUMAR GORE, Dated the 11th July, 2025. Minister for Rural Development. ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.