Section 27. Casual vacancy how to be filled

- (1) A casual vacancy in the office of a member occurring otherwise than by efflux of time shall be filled, subject to the provisions of subsection (4), at a bye-election which shall be fixed to take place as soon as may be, in the manner as may be prescribed for a general election. (2) A member elected at a bye-election shall hold office so long only as the member in whose place he is elected would have been entitled to hold the office, if the vacancy had not occurred. (3) When a vacancy occurs by reason of death, resignation or removal of any elected member,- (a) against a seat reserved in any ward for a member of the Scheduled Caste or, as the case may be, the Scheduled Tribes or the Backward Classes, such vacancy shall be filled in by a member of such caste or tribe or classes; and (b) against a seat reserved in any ward for a woman, such vacancy shall be filled in by a woman. (4) Where a vacancy occurs by reason of death, resignation, removal or avoidance of the election of an elected member and the term of office of that member would, in the ordinary course of events, have determined within six months of the occurrence of the vacancy, the State Government may direct that the vacancy be left unfilled until the next general election.