Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Dasoju Sravan has urged the State Election Commission to take action against candidates who spend huge amounts of money, thereby weakening the spirit of democracy.
In a letter to the SEC, he referred to reports of a Moinabad candidate spending ₹7 million to win a seat in the municipal elections and urged the SEC to conduct a special audit of the winning candidate’s election expenses and assets, in addition to an independent investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau into the source of election funds. He also sought his disqualification under Section 10A of the RPA, 1951 if expenditure violations are found.
In his letter, Mr. Sravan alleged that an independent candidate in the Moinabad municipal elections allegedly spent an estimated ₹7 crore to ensure victory by a margin of more than 200 votes. The letter, according to reports, claims that voters were allegedly bribed with ₹70,000 per vote and 25 kg of rice per household.
The letter goes on to highlight a similar claim from Medak district, where a real estate businessman allegedly boasted of spending ₹13 crore to win the Sarpanch election, reflecting a disturbing monetization of democracy from below.
He said this is a direct violation of the provisions of the RPA 1951, including corrupt practices such as bribery and undue influence. The letter also points to violations of the model code of conduct and states that distribution of cash and goods during elections is an offense under existing criminal laws.
The complainant described the situation as “the death of local democracy” and warned that elections are increasingly seen as financial investments rather than democratic contests. He argued that vote valuation effectively excludes ordinary citizens from meaningful participation in the democratic process. It warns that if left unchecked, such practices can permanently damage public confidence in elections and governance. Copies of the representations were also given to the Governor of Telangana.
Published – 14 Feb 2026 21:02 IST