धारा 44 · Powers of inspecting and superintending officers and of the Government

Powers of inspecting and superintending officers and of the Government - (1) The Commissioner shall supervise the administration of all gram panchayats in the State and shall also exercise the powers and perform the functions vested in him by or under this Act. (2) (a) The Government may appoint such other officers as they may consider necessary for the purpose of inspecting or superintending the operations of all or any of the gram panchayats constituted under this Act. (b) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the Government may appoint District Panchayat Officers, Divisional Panchayat Officers and Extension Officers (Panchayats) and define the territorial jurisdiction of each such officer. (c) The Government shall have power to regulate the classification, methods of recruitment, conditions of service, salary and allowances and discipline and conduct of the officers referred to in clauses (a) and (b) and of the members of their establishment. (3) The cost of the officers and the members of the establishment aforesaid shall be paid out of the Consolidated Fund of the State. (4) The District Panchayat Officers, the Divisional Panchayat Officers and the Extension Officers (Panchayats) shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be prescribed, or as may be delegated to them under this Act. (5) The Commissioner or the District Collector or any officer appointed under sub-section (2) or any other officer or person whom the Government or the Commissioner or the District Collector may empower in this behalf, may enter on and inspect, or cause to be entered on and inspected,- (a) any immovable property or any work in progress under the control of any gram panchayat or *[Executive Authoritys]; (b) any school, hospital, dispensary, vaccination station, choultry, or other institutions maintained, by or under the control of, any gram panchayat and any records, registers or other documents kept in such institution; (c) the office of any gram panchayat and any records, registers or other documents kept therein. Gram Panchayats and their Sarpanches, executive authorities, officers and servants shall be bound to afford to the officers and persons aforesaid, such access, at all reasonable times, to gram panchayat property or premises, and all documents as may, in the opinion of such officers or persons, subject to such rules as may be prescribed; be necessary to enable them to discharge their duties, under this section. (6) The Commissioner or any officer or person whom the Government, or the Commissioner may empower in this behalf may,- (a) direct the gram panchayat to make provision for and to execute or provide any public work or amenity or service of the description referred to in section 45; (b) call for any record, register or other document in the possession, or under the control, of any gram panchayat or executive authority; (c) require any gram panchayat, or executive authority to furnish any return, plan, estimate, statement, account or statistics; (d) require any gram panchayat, or executive authority to furnish any information or report on any matter connected with such gram panchayat; (e) record in writing for the consideration of any gram panchayat, or executive authority any observations in regard to its or his proceedings or functions. CHAPTER III POWERS, FUNCTIONS AND PROPERTY OF GRAM PANCHAYATS