‘Auction’ of panchayat posts: more allegations emerge in Tiruchi district
‘President, Vice-President posts sold for ₹10 lakh and ₹2.75 lakh’
15/12/2019,C. JAISANKARTIRUCHI
Allegations of the auctioning of the posts of president and vice-president in Valaiyur village panchayat and ward councillor in Mannachanallur panchayat union have surfaced in Tiruchi district, prompting the district administration to conduct an inquiry.
According to sources, a group of villagers held a meeting on Thursday night to discuss the local body elections. Stressing the importance of unity in the Mutharaiyar-dominated village, a few residents reportedly proposed three names as unanimous choices for the posts of president, vice-president and panchayat union ward member.
According to a petition submitted to the Block Development Officer of Mannachanallur by a group of people from Valaiyur, the posts of president and vice-president were auctioned to persons going by the names of Rengaraj and Anand, for ₹10 lakh and ₹2.75 lakh, respectively. Similarly, the villagers were asked to support the candidature of Murugan, the husband of M. Parameswari — the AIADMK MLA from Mannachanallur Assembly constituency — for the Mannachanallur panchayat union ward member’s post, in exchange for the payment of ₹15 lakh towards the development of Valaiyur.
However, Ms. Parameswari denied the allegation, saying her husband had sought a ticket from the party, and no decision had been taken on that yet.
Meanwhile, acting on a direction from Collector S. Sivarasu, officials of the Rural Development department conducted enquiries. But a majority of the 25 persons with whom the officials held enquiries reportedly said the complaint was ‘motivated’.
Mr. Sivarasu told The Hindu that a group of persons apparently held a meeting and attempted to influence the villagers into supporting certain candidates. But the posts in question were not auctioned. Officials of the Rural Development department had been asked to closely monitor developments in the village.
As far as the panchayat union ward member’s post was concerned, the people of one village cannot decide the outcome of the poll as the ward was spread across four villages. More than two persons had filed nomination papers for the panchayat union ward member’s post, he said.
‘President, Vice-President posts sold for ₹10 lakh and ₹2.75 lakh’
15/12/2019,C. JAISANKARTIRUCHI
Allegations of the auctioning of the posts of president and vice-president in Valaiyur village panchayat and ward councillor in Mannachanallur panchayat union have surfaced in Tiruchi district, prompting the district administration to conduct an inquiry.
According to sources, a group of villagers held a meeting on Thursday night to discuss the local body elections. Stressing the importance of unity in the Mutharaiyar-dominated village, a few residents reportedly proposed three names as unanimous choices for the posts of president, vice-president and panchayat union ward member.
According to a petition submitted to the Block Development Officer of Mannachanallur by a group of people from Valaiyur, the posts of president and vice-president were auctioned to persons going by the names of Rengaraj and Anand, for ₹10 lakh and ₹2.75 lakh, respectively. Similarly, the villagers were asked to support the candidature of Murugan, the husband of M. Parameswari — the AIADMK MLA from Mannachanallur Assembly constituency — for the Mannachanallur panchayat union ward member’s post, in exchange for the payment of ₹15 lakh towards the development of Valaiyur.
However, Ms. Parameswari denied the allegation, saying her husband had sought a ticket from the party, and no decision had been taken on that yet.
Meanwhile, acting on a direction from Collector S. Sivarasu, officials of the Rural Development department conducted enquiries. But a majority of the 25 persons with whom the officials held enquiries reportedly said the complaint was ‘motivated’.
Mr. Sivarasu told The Hindu that a group of persons apparently held a meeting and attempted to influence the villagers into supporting certain candidates. But the posts in question were not auctioned. Officials of the Rural Development department had been asked to closely monitor developments in the village.
As far as the panchayat union ward member’s post was concerned, the people of one village cannot decide the outcome of the poll as the ward was spread across four villages. More than two persons had filed nomination papers for the panchayat union ward member’s post, he said.
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