Chennai, Sept 19( BPNS)
The Villupuram district administration has ordered a detailed probe into the alleged auctioning bid that had taken place for the post of Panchayath president at the behest of the village elders on Saturday.
Villupuram district collector, D. Mohan and a group of officials conducted a probe in Ponnankuppam and Sitheri Panchayaths in the district.
The allegation was that there was an attempt to auction the post of Panchayath president in Ponnankuppam panchayath that falls under Gingee block and the panchayath president post has been reserved for SC (Woman) for the rural local body elections.
The panchayath has two hamlets, Thuthipet and Ponnankuppam and the village elders of Thuthipet had convened a meeting on Saturday and to decide on a ‘consensus’ candidate based on the highest bidding amount. Sources told IANS that the amount fixed was Rs 13 lakh but the residents of Ponnankuppam opposed the move and wanted the candidate from their village be elected as the President.
District collector, D. Mohan who paid a visit to the village on information provided by the villagers of Ponnankuppam had conducted a detailed study and according to district collector’s office, police have also commenced a probe into the same. Collector told media persons that stringent action would be taken against those who had indulged in trying to subvert the democratic process.
In Sitheri Panchayath also there were attempts to auction the post of Panchayath president to the highest bidder, official sources said. Here also the village elders convened a meeting and were choosing the highest bidder but a few youngsters in the village opposed the move and foiled the attempt.
