ST-Only Seats Lead to Zero Nominations in Nalgonda Village
Villagers alleged that the State government did not respond despite being informed about the issue through multiple channels.
Nalgonda: No nominations were filed for the sarpanch post and for half of the ward member seats in the Perooru gram panchayat of Anumula mandal, Nalgonda district.
Villagers blamed the reservation pattern fixed for the sarpanch and ward member posts in Perooru. The gram panchayat has eight wards, four reserved for BCs and four for STs. The sarpanch post was also reserved for the ST category.
Perooru has a total of 792 voters, of whom 20 are OCs, 665 are BCs and 105 are SCs. There is not a single ST voter in the gram panchayat, yet the sarpanch post was reserved for the ST category. With the nomination deadline ending on December 2 for the second phase of polling, no nominations were filed for the sarpanch post or the four wards reserved for STs.
Villagers alleged that the State government did not respond despite being informed about the issue through multiple channels.
Meanwhile, gram panchayat elections in Brundavanapuram of Thipparthy mandal also present a unique scenario. Brundavanapuram is the smallest gram panchayat in the State, with just 98 voters, 91 OCs and seven SCs. For decades, the sarpanch has been elected with just four to five votes.
Thripuraram Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) Vijaya Kumari said two nominations were received for the sarpanch post and two for each ward. As per the rules, polling will be conducted for the gram panchayat, she added.