State Act

The Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act.

183. Local enquiry and reports by panchayat.— It shall be the duty of every panchayat to enquire and report in any of the following cases :— (a) any case where a Magistrate has directed that a previous local investigation be made by a panchayat under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 18983 (V of 1898), and the words “such other person” in sub-section (1) of the said section shall be deemed to include a panchayat ; (b) any case in which a Magistrate making an enquiry under section 488 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 18984 (V of 1898), may require from the panchayat in whose village either the wife or child for whose maintenance the application is made or the husband or parent respectively of such wife or child resides, report as to the amount of maintenance which, having regard to the circumstances of the parties, should be payable and such report shall be evidence in such enquiry : Provided that no member of the panchayat shall be required to attend as a witness touching any matter on which the report is itself evidence, but the Magistrate may, in his discretion, call for a further report.