Political power, its significance and the struggle to attain it are no longer concepts alien to the rural populace of the State. A testament to this fact was the recently held three-tier panchayat elections and the record voter turnout it saw; another is reports of underhand tricks to emerge victorious in the upcoming indirect polls for Panchayati Raj Institutions representatives.
later in the month of January, the newly-elected panchayat functionaries from all over the State are meant to choose from them the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Zila Parishads, Pramukh and Up-Pramukh of Panchayat Samitis and Up-Mukhiyas. But before this indirect election, some reports are doing the rounds, in which some candidates are allegedly trying to turn the tables in their favour by either influencing their counterparts or using political ties.
“The reports are more frequent this time than they were in the previous panchayat elections. Now people know that there is an abundance of funds in villages, meant for development of the rural areas of the state. Thus, no stone is being left unturned when it comes to cement one’s claim on the authority to supervise these funds,” stated Sudhir Pal, State Coordinator of Association for Democratic Reforms.
Considering this, State Election Commission (SEC) has appointed Election Observers, one for each district, to ensure that the ‘indirect polls are not manipulated at any level and in any manner and its transparency and credibility remain unmarred’.
“The Election Observers have been selected from bureaucrats and state public services. They are meant to look into any discrepancies in the indirect polls and can even take action on behalf of the SEC against those found guilty of violating the prescribed norms,” informed SEC Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak.
As per the SEC guidelines, cases of pressurising or preventing elected panchayat functionaries, attempts to bribe them, take them out of station for winning their votes by consent or force, use political ties regarding indirect panchayat polls should be reported to the Commission with proof.
According to sources, alleged cases of horse-trading in panchayat functionaries’ elections have been seen in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Koderma, Hazaribagh, Giridih, Bokaro and Dumka.
“More or less, reports of some candidates trying to influence others are coming in from all over the state. But establishing these reports are a tough task. Action can be taken if they are promptly reported to the authorities, but this cannot happen in every case,” said Pal.
“We are alert; the complaints of horse-trading in indirect polls have been forwarded to the deputy commissioners of respective districts they came from. We have also brought Income Tax Department in the loop. Special instructions in this regard have been issued for the Observers. Anyone found in violation of the norms will be punished in accordance to the laws,” stated the SEC Secretary.