(1)Every Gram Panchayat shall, at its first meeting at which a quorum is present, elect one or its members to be Sachiva of the Gram Panchayat:Provided that no number who is not able to read or write any of the official languages of the State shall be qualified to be elected as a Sachiva:Provided further that where no such person as referred to in the first proviso is available, the Gram Panchayat may appoint Panchayat Assistant appointed by the Secretary to the Government in the Rural Development Department to look after the works of Sachiva.(2)The Sachiva of the Gram Panchayat so elected or as the case may be, appointed shall assist the abhapati or the Up-Sabhapati, as the case may be,of the Gram Panchayat in due maintenance of the Gram Panchayat office and for proper organization and execution of rural development schemes and shall be directly answerable to the members of the Gram Panchayat.(3)The Sachiva shall be in charge of office of the Gram Panchayat and shall exercise such powers and perform such other functions and discharge such other duty as the State Government may, by rules made in this behalf,prescribe.(4)The term of office of the Sachiva shall, subject to the provisions of section 33 be co-terminus with the term of the Gram Panchayat.
