A meeting was held last week to ‘auction’ the sarpanch post for Rs 44.1 lakh in Odisha’s Bolangir district. The State Election Commission (SEC) has sought a factual report on the same matter by 5 pm today.
Days before the nomination process for the panchayat elections began in Odisha, an influential group of people from a remote gram panchayat in Balangir district auctioned the post of sarpanch for Rs 44.1 lakh.
While the nomination process began on Monday, the three-tier panchayat elections in Odisha will be held in five phases from February 16 to 24. Results will be declared on February 26, 27 and 28.
The alleged auction took place in Bilaisarda panchayat under Puintala block of Balangir district at a Gram Sabha meeting on Friday in the presence of prominent people, including contractors and businessmen from the three villages of Bilaisarda, Bandanakata and Kasurpali.
However, the matter came to the fore on Monday when the filing of nomination papers for the posts of sarpanchs, samiti members and zilla parishad members began in the state.
Initially, four candidates took part in the bidding process but two of them withdrew after one of the bidders started the call by quoting Rs 21 lakh.
Finally, sarpanch candidate Sushant Kumar Chhatria, a contractor by profession, turned out to be the highest bidder with Rs 44, 10,000.
Chatria also pledged to donate Rs 44,000 for the development of the Jagannath temple and the same amount will be paid by him within two days
Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the incident from media reports, the State Election Commission (SEC) of Odisha has sought a factual report from the Collector of Balangir district by 5 pm on Tuesday (January 18).
Talking to India Today, Balangir Collector Chanchal Rana said that there is an inquiry going on by the ADM and concerned election officers.
“On Monday only we got the news and we have ordered an inquiry immediately. If any violation is found under rule 41 or 42 of GP Act, then definitely action will be taken and will be intimated to [Election] Commision. If it violates the scrutiny of nomination and model code of conduct, action will be taken,” added Rana.
Sources told India Today that in the previous term also, the sarpanch post was auctioned, which was won by Rita Bariha by bidding Rs 7 lakhs out of which Rs 4 lakhs was given by account transfer to the account of the temple trust and the rest of Rs 3 lakh was paid by cash.
Biren Panda, a villager who was present at the meeting told India Today, “The villagers had given a call for a meeting on the Jagannath Temple matter. After we reached there, we found it was about auctioning, to which I raised an objection, saying it’s unconstitutional, but no one paid heed to my words.”
Sushant Chhatria told a regional media channel that he has agreed to pay Rs 44,000 to the villagers for the development of the Jagannath Temple.
“I have agreed to pay under one condition that none will contest against me. If I get elected unopposed, then my expenditure on campaigning will be saved. I will give that money for the development of the Village Jagannath temple,” added Chhatria.
