Maharashtra:SEC seeks report on ‘sarpanch post auctions’

The state election commissioner UPS Madan has ordered a probe into an alleged auction for the post of sarpanch ahead of the gram panchayat elections to be held on January 15. The commissioner has asked all district collectors to submit detailed reports following thorough investigations. The orders were issued following a video of an alleged auction for the post of sarpanch went viral on social media a few days ago. The video allegedly shows an open auction for the post in Khondamali village in Nandurbar district of north Maharashtra, followed by supporters celebrating after the highest bidder won the post for Rs 42 lakh. Activist Anna Hazare termed the incident an “auction of democracy.”

The commission has further asked district collectors to immediately submit detailed reports about villages where only one candidate is left in the fray for the polls after the withdrawal of nominations by other candidates. “There is a possibility that the candidates may have been pressured to withdraw their nominations. To avoid this, declaration of the winner shall be made only after prior approval from the state election commission,” said the order. The election commission declared elections for 14,234 gram panchayats across Maharashtra on January 15. The elections were postponed by over nine months in the backdrop of the Covid-19 outbreak.