Good Governance Forum president M Padmanabha Reddy, retired bureaucrats RV Chandravardan and MV Reddy and Forum secretary Soma Srinivas Reddy during a press meet on Tuesday (December 2). | Photo credit: By arrangement
The Good Governance Forum on Tuesday (December 2) warned that the growing trend of unanimity elections secured by coercion, inducements and forced withdrawal poses a serious threat to democratic processes in Gram Panchayat polls.
At a press meet held in Hyderabad on Tuesday, members of the organization said that while Gram Panchayats play a vital role in local governance, the ongoing electoral process is increasingly influenced by political parties and unethical practices. They noted that elections held in three phases, with all results announced on the same day, could affect voting in later phases and potentially skew the results.
Former IAS officer RV Chandravadan said political parties have turned sarpanch elections into party contests, undermining the spirit of local governance. He added that unanimous elections should be based on public free will. Retired bureaucrat MV Reddy added that the practice of auctioning allowances is dangerous for democracy and excludes disadvantaged communities.
Forum secretary Soma Srinivas Reddy said candidates who bought positions through auctions often failed to serve their villages and were more likely to engage in corrupt practices. Former TGPSC member T. Vivek emphasized the need for educated youth to compete and help develop their villages.
Forum president M. Padmanabha Reddy said that while the circular issued by the State Election Commission aimed at curbing forced unanimity polls is a welcome step, it remains insufficient to solve the problem completely.
A circular issued by the State Election Commission on November 27 mandates stricter scrutiny of no-objection gram panchayat elections by the Special Monitoring Cell and requires verification to ensure that withdrawals and unanimous results are free of coercion, inducement or auctioning. It also orders officials to delay or reverse elections if any irregularities are found.
He proposed two resolutions to submit to the Commission: count all three phases of the December 17 vote with results announced the same day, and postpone the unopposed election for one week pending an investigation. If irregularities such as auctions or forced withdrawals were found, the survey should be canceled and a repeat ordered.
Published – 02 Dec 2025 18:09 IST
