(1)If for any reason a local authority or members of a local authority are not elected in accordance with the provisions of this Act or of Part I of the Act of 1949 and the case is not otherwise provided for, or if there is for any reason no legally constituted local authority for any area or the number of members of a local authority then in office is less than the quorum ascertained in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 7 to this Act, the Secretary of State may direct the holding of an election for filling such vacancies as exist, and the election shall be held as soon as practicable thereafter on a date to be fixed by the Secretary of State.
(2)The Secretary of State may, in the said direction, make such provision as seems to him expedient for authorising any person to act in place of a local authority pending the election of members of the authority by an election under subsection (1) above, and any direction under this section may contain such incidental, consequential, transitional or supplementary provisions as may appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or proper.