Sarpanch

A sarpanch is an elected head of a village-level statutory institution of local self-government called the panchayat (village government) in India (gram panchayat),Pakistan and Bangladesh. The sarpanch, together with other elected panchas (members), constitute the gram panchayat. The sarpanch is the focal point of contact between government officers and the village community. Recently, there have been proposals to give sarpanches small judicial powers under panchayati raj. In some states of India like Bihar, Sarpanch has been empowered to look into various civil and criminal cases, and given judicial power to punish and impose fine on those violating rules.

Meaning of sarpanch

Sar, meaning head and panch meaning five, gives the meaning head of the five decision makers of the gram panchyat of the village. He is elected by all the people of the village.

Panchayati raj (Governance by sarpanch)

Although panchayats have been in existence in India since times immemorial, in post-Independence India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, most of the rural development and community development projects have been sought to be executed through panchayats. In the federal Indian polity, different states had different laws governing the powers of the gram panchayats and sarpanches.