Why Maharashtra s Unopposed Panchayat Seats Shouldn t Be Touted as Ideal
The Election Commission received complaints about auctions being held for certain panchayat seats.
Supporters welcome winning candidates during counting day of the Gram Panchayat elections in Maharashtra, in Thane district, Monday, Tuesday, January 18, 2021. Photo: PTI
Politics20/Jan/2021
Mumbai: On January 15, elections were conducted in 14,234 gram panchayats of Maharashtra. Of them, in 1,523 villages local bodies, the elections were contested unopposed.
While the villages and political parties have touted these unopposed elections as managed through a âgeneral consensusâ, videos and other ground evidence that have emerged pointing at concerted efforts to gain control over these local bodies. Auctions took over the democratic electoral process in most of these villages, but were presented as villagersâ âunanimous decisionâ to elect members unopposed.
The gram panchayat elections are not contested on party symbols but political parties support panels in the panchayats and once these panels win, the parties claim victory
Picture used for representational purpose only
MUMBAI: Preliminary reports and data compiled by political parties on Monday suggested that the Shiv Sena was able to bag the largest number of seats and win in nearly 4,500 of the 12,711 gram panchayats in the state where elections were held last week.
While counting of votes was still on at the time of going to press, state Congress president and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat claimed that the MVA, the ruling coalition of Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP in the state, had swept the polls, securing nearly 10,000 gram panchayats.
A BJP spokesperson countered this, claiming that out of 7,233 gram panchayats where the final results had been declared, the BJP had won 3,131.
Are Panchayat Elections in Maharashtra a Festival of Democracy or a Maratha Festival?
Studies of how rural democracy works in âprogressiveâ Maharashtra suggest the very high turnout for gram panchayat elections masks continuing inequality and incivility.
Supporters welcome winning candidates during counting day of the gram panchayat elections in Thane district, January 18, 2021. Photo: PTI
Politics19/Jan/2021
If regular elections and active voter participation in panchayat elections are understood as key for the success of democracy, then Maharashtra, like most of India, does indeed have a vibrant democracy. But does this democracy reduce inequality between sexes and castes? Do the marginal groups have an assertive voice? Does this democracy promote associational feeling across social groups?
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Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Elections Results Live: Counting of votes begins amid tight security
Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Election Results 2021 Updates: No clear winner has emerged so far in the Maharashtra Panchayat Election 2021 with both the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) claiming victory. As votes were being counted till late Monday, Congress leader and minister Balasaheb Thorat claimed 80 percent of the panchayats were won by the MVA alliance partners. Former CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis claimed that the saffron party has emerged as the single largest party.Â
Counting of votes for the Maharashtra Gram Panchayat elections began on Monday morning at amid tight security. There are 27,920 gram panchayats in Maharashtra.