(1) There shall be a Sarpanch for every Gram Panchayat, who shall be elected in the prescribed manner by the persons whose names appear in the electoral roll for the Gram Panchayat, from among themselves. A person shall not be qualified to stand for election as Sarpanch, unless he is atleast twenty-one years of age:
Provided that a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the State or a Member of the Legislative Council of the State or of either House of Parliament who is elected to the office of Sarpanch or Upa-Sarpanch shall cease to hold such office unless within one month from the date of election to such office he ceases to be a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the State or a Member of the Legislative Council of the State or of either House of Parliament by resignation or otherwise.
(2) The election of the Sarpanch may be held at the same time and in the same place as the ordinary elections of the members of the Gram Panchayat.
(3) Save as otherwise expressly provided in, or prescribed under this Act, the term of office of the Sarpanch who is elected at an ordinary election shall be five years from the date appointed by the Commissioner for the first meeting of the Gram Panchayat after the ordinary election.
Election and term of office of Sarpanch or Upa- Sarpanch.
30 [Act No.5 of 2018]
(4) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (5), any casual vacancy in the office of the Sarpanch shall be filled within one hundred and twenty days from the date of occurrence of such vacancy, by a fresh election under sub section (1); and a person elected as Sarpanch in any such vacancy shall hold office only so long as the person in whose place he is elected would have been entitled to hold office if the vacancy had not occurred.
(5) Unless the Commissioner otherwise directs, no casual vacancy in the office of the Sarpanch shall be filled within six months before the date on which the ordinary election of the Sarpanch under sub-section (1) is due.
(6) The provisions of sections 20 to 27 shall apply in relation to the office of the Sarpanch as they apply in relation to the office of an elected member of the Gram Panchayat.
(7) The Sarpanch shall be an ex-officio member of the Gram Panchayat and shall be entitled to vote at meetings of the Gram Panchayat.
(8) A person shall be disqualified for election as Sarpanch if he is in arrears of any dues, otherwise than in a fiduciary capacity to a Mandal Praja Parishad, or if is interested in a subsisting contract made with or any work being done for, the Mandal Praja Parishad within whose jurisdiction the Gram Panchayat is situated or any other Gram Panchayat within the jurisdiction of that Mandal Praja Parishad:
Provided that a person shall not be deemed to have any interest in such contract or work by reason only of his having a share or interest in,- [Act No.5 of 2018] 31
(i) A company as a mere shareholder but not as a director; or
(ii) Any lease, sale or purchase of immovable property or any agreement for the same; or
(iii) An agreement for the loan of money or any security for the payment of money only; or
(iv) Any newspaper in which any advertisement relating to the affairs of any of the aforesaid Gram Panchayat is inserted.
Explanation:- For the removal of doubt it is hereby declared that where a contract is fully performed it shall not be deemed to be subsisting merely on the ground that the Mandal Praja Parishad has not performed its part of the contractual obligation.
(9) For every Gram Panchayat one of the members shall be elected to be Upa-Sarpanch by the Gram Panchayat, in the prescribed manner. If at an election held for the purpose, no Upa-Sarpanch is elected, fresh election shall be held:
Provided that before an election of Upa-Sarpanch is held, every casual vacancy in the office of an elected member of a Gram Panchayat shall be filled.
(10) A Special meeting for the election of the Upa- Sarpanch shall be called on the same date on which the results of the ordinary elections to the Gram Panchayat have been published. The notice of the meeting for election of Upa-Sarpanch shall be given to the members so elected by affixture of the same on the notice board at the office of the Gram Panchayat, immediately after such publication:
32 [Act No.5 of 2018] Training for the Sarpanches and Ward Members.
Reservation of office of Sarpanch.
Provided that if, for any person, the election of the Upa- Sarpanch is not held on the date aforesaid the special meeting for the election of the Upa-Sarpanch shall be held on the next day, whether or not it is a holiday observed by the Gram Panchayat:
Provided further that the State Election Commission may, from time to time, for reasons to be recorded in writing direct or permit the holding of the election of the Upa- Sarpanch on any other day.
16. All Ward Members, Upa-Sarpanches, Sarpanches elected under this Act, shall undergo training on developmental activities of Panchayat Raj Institutions, the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 and the rules made thereunder, in the manner prescribed.