SEC likely to end unopposed polls for panchayats

Hyderabad:In an attempt to hold free and fair elections, the Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) is planning to abolish the practice of 'unopposed elections' for gram panchayat elections and hold poll even if it receives only one nomination by treating a ‘none of the above (Nota)’ option to give voters a choice.

An unopposed election is where a candidate offers to spend a certain amount of money on the area if no one contested against him.

The State Election Commission is expected to discuss the proposed changes with recognised political parties, seeking their opinion on Wednesday. Following the discussion, the SEC is expected to submit a report to the state government this week, recommending the removal of practice of ‘unopposed elections’.

This move by the SEC comes as the gram panchayat elections are expected to take place in March. Sources indicate that the state government supports the plan for elections to be held in March, and the SEC is preparing to issue the election notification by February 20.

The SEC’s initiative also coincides with the Supreme Court hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on March 19, challenging Section 53(2) of the Representation of the People Act, which allows direct elections of uncontested candidates without an actual poll. The apex court, in a recent ruling on February 4, announced it would hear the petition in March.

The push to eliminate unopposed elections comes after the previous BRS government, in January 2019, had offered financial incentives to encourage unopposed elections for gram panchayats. Out of 12.500 gram panchayats in the state, over 2,500 opted for unanimous elections. However, the BRS government failed to provide the promised cash incentives and the terms of these elected bodies ended in January 2024.

While the intention behind promoting 'unopposed elections' was to reduce political interference and violence, and foster harmony in rural areas, where elections are contested on a non-party basis, the system was widely exploited by the BRS to secure village-level leadership without facing election.

The unanimous election process led to the 'auctioning' of sarpanch posts, with aspiring candidates purchasing positions for huge sums even before the official election notifications were released.

In the latest instance which came to light two days ago in Gokulapadu village of Manopadu mandal in Jogulamba-Gadwal district, village elders reportedly auctioned the sarpanch post, with one participant securing the post for an unprecedented `27.50 lakh. This amount was said to be earmarked for village development.

Although gram panchayat elections are contested on non-party basis, the previous BRS government’s involvement, including that of MLAs and MPs, in ensuring the election of BRS loyalists without actual contests, led to widespread concerns over the integrity of the electoral process.

The Forum for Good Governance (FGG) recently urged the SEC to treat NOTA as a "fictitious candidate" in the gram panchayat elections. This measure will curb the practice of auctioning sarpanch posts and ensure a more transparent election process, it said.

V. Nagi Reddy, a retired IAS officer and former commissioner of Telangana SEC, said that several state election commissions had empowered Nota as a tool to enhance election integrity. He opined that Telangana SEC should adopt similar measures to promote transparency and fairness.

M. Padmanabha Reddy, the president of FGG, sought the introduction of Nota as a fictitious candidate to prevent withdrawals in favour of one candidate, which facilitates the auctioning of positions.

He noted that while the Supreme Court’s introduction of Nota aimed to increase voter participation, its current impact is minimal as it does not influence election outcomes.

In states like Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi, however, Nota is treated as a "fictitious candidate," triggering fresh elections if Nota receives the highest number of votes. He argued that if Telangana adopts a similar policy, it would prevent manipulation and force the holding of elections in all cases, preventing uncontested selections.