In a peculiar situation, villagers of Hardowal Kalan, located in the Fatehgarh Churian constituency in Gurdaspur district, Punjab, organised an ‘auction’ to choose their new sarpanch, adding an unconventional twist to the country’s democratic process. The bidding began at Rs 50 lakh, with the highest bid reaching Rs 2 crore, made by former sarpanch and local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atma Singh, several media outlets reported.
This unconventional approach is seen as a way to sidestep traditional electoral methods.
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Three candidates — Atma Singh of the BJP, Jaswinder Singh Bedi, and Nirbhair Singh — were in the race for the position. Atma Singh’s Rs 2 crore bid, the highest so far, is reportedly intended to fund village development initiatives. The village’s youth assembly has endorsed this process, planning to use the funds outside of government panchayat grants. Hardowal Kalan is noted for having historically selected its sarpanch through unanimous decisions.
Atma Singh, whose father Wassan Singh also held the position of village headman, made the Rs 2 crore bid via cheque. Defending the auction, he said this method is preferable over bribing local politicians for the position.
The auction was set to continue, with villagers stating that anyone offering more than Rs 2 crore would also be considered for the role.
Violation of democratic principles
This practice has drawn criticism from various officials and politicians, who view it as a violation of democratic principles. Several officials voiced concerns, stating it undermines the essence of panchayat elections. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa called for a Vigilance probe into the auction, accusing those involved of ‘killing democracy’ by putting a public position up for sale.
A district official, cited by Hindustan Times, said no official complaints had been filed yet, and there was still time for candidates to submit nominations. Major political parties like AAP, Congress, and the Shiromani Akali Dal have distanced themselves from the auction. Nominations are open until October 4, and voting will take place on October 15.
Since the dissolution of the panchayat in the village, the youth council, a 21-member committee, has been managing local affairs.
Controversial leadership selection
Hardowal Kalan, one of the largest villages in Gurdaspur with 300 acres of panchayat land, has a three-decade tradition of unanimously selecting its sarpanch. This time, however, the Naujawan Sabha, a youth council formed after the dissolution of panchayats in Punjab, organised the auction. Atma Singh stated that the funds raised would be used for village development.
Despite widespread criticism, villagers appeared to support the auction, viewing it as a transparent way of selecting leadership. The outcome of the bidding will be decided when the auction resumes. In the meantime, the event has sparked a broader discussion on the integrity of local governance and the influence of money in Punjab’s democratic processes.
First Published: Oct 02 2024 | 12:27 PM IST
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