Call to end ‘auctioning’ of local body posts

Activists, parties urge authorities to take stern action

With 9 districts slated to witness elections to rural local bodies, the ‘auctioning’ of the posts of village panchayat presidents and panchayat union ward councillors has once again been reported — this time in a couple of northern districts.

The ‘auctioning’ was said to have taken place recently for the posts of presidents of Ulagalapadi village panchayat in Sankarapuram panchayat union of Kallakurichi district and Ponnankuppam village panchayat in Gingee panchayat union of Villupuram district, in addition to the posts of councillors of two panchayat union wards of Melamalaiyanur in Villupuram district.

The State Election Commission (SEC) had also instructed the Collectors of other districts to find out whether the practice had been resorted to. Any instance of the ‘auctioning’ of posts would be viewed ‘seriously’ and followed up to the logical end.