The head of a village.The sarpanch (village headman) assured them that nothing will happen and took them to his house....
With the support of the sarpanches of the village panchayats these children have passed a directive that shopkeepers who sell gutka to children will be fined heavily.
But one has also heard stories of women panches and sarpanches in several states of the country being asked by husbands to sit at home while they themselves attend the panchayat meetings by proxy.
Origin
From Urdu sar-panch, from sar 'head' + panch 'five'.