Chandigarh, December 19: While nomination papers are being filed across the state by candidates of various parties and Independents for forthcoming panchayat elections on December 30, 70 villages in the Shahkot assembly segment of Jalandhar district have chosen their panchayats ‘unanimously’ without going for prevalent election process. By saving election expenditure, these panchayats have also earned a grant from the government.
There are total 234 panchyats under this assembly segment, which consists of Shahkot, Malsian, Mehatpur and Lohian areas of Jalandhar district, out of which 70 panchayats (30 per ent of the total) have been chosen by the villagers unanimously.
According to government policy, if any village goes for unanimous elections then government gives a grant of Rs three lakh to such village.
A local radio channel — Avtar Radio, which is run by the ‘Ik Onkar Turst’ at village Seechewal, Padam Shri environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, local Congress MLA Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia and several renowned persons of the area have has been the main guiding forces behind these panchayats who have chosen their sarpanches and panches (panchyat members) on their own.
“We are discouraging elections because it leads to several types of enmities among the villagers which then take ugly turn and hamper development of village,” said Baba Seechewal, adding that people end up spending several lakhs on elections while unanimous election earn a grant for the village which can be used for development purpose.
