panchayat
/pɑnˈtʃaɪət/
noun
- A village council or local government body in South Asia, especially in India, that handles local administrative and judicial matters.
- She was elected as the head of the panchayat and worked to improve local schools.
- In many rural areas, the panchayat settles disputes between neighbors without going to court.
- The panchayat met to discuss building a new well for the village.