Violence, money power dominate poll scene

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, AUG. 13. Factional violence and use of money power have marked the elections, on non-party basis, to the posts of sarpanch of 21,434 villages being held in three phases from tomorrow to Monday next. This phase marks the conclusion of the elections to Panchayat Raj institutions that began last month.

Though these elections are contested without party symbols and the ballot papers do not contain the names of candidates, but only their symbols, there has been hectic campaigning for the past one week.

Already, about 3,266 sarpanches have been elected unanimously throughout the State, but reports suggest that in some ``prestige'' villages, the contest is so keen that candidates are offering inducements of liquor and money to vote for themselves.

An estimated 3.62 lakh candidates are in the fray for the posts of ward member and sarpanch. In one of the biggest electoral exercises of its kind, voters in the State will elect 18,099 Sarpanches from among 57,387 candidates and 1.37 lakh ward members from among 3.14 lakh nominees.

There are 21,434 posts of sarpanch but 3,266 were already elected unanimously. Similarly, 69,644 ward members have been declared elected unopposed in different panchayats.

Polling will be held on August 14, 17 and 20 in all the 22 districts simultaneously. However, for logistical convenience and maintaining law and order, the State Election Commission has staggered the elections in such a manner that Gram Panchayats in one or more revenue division in every district will go to the polls in each one of the three phases. In the first phase, polling will be held for 7,109 Sarpanches and 69,158 ward members in 27 revenue divisions.

Chittoor district accounts for the highest number of 1348 vacancies of Sarpanches and Nizamabad district for the lowest with only 686 posts open for contest.

Meanwhile, the State Election Commission has described as baseless reports in a section of the press about violation of the secrecy of the ballot on account of the proposed anti-rigging measures. It was referring to criticism about the decision to take the thumb impression of voters on a separate slip of paper in certain identified gram panchayats.

The SEC clarified in a pressnote on Monday that the thumb impression would only indicate `who' had come for voting but not `to whom' the person had voted. This measure was only aimed at curbing electoral malpractices like impersonation, rigging and booth capturing, the SEC said.

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Section  : Southern States
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