Political parties apathetic, administration helpless

By S. Annamalai

MADURAI, SEPT. 19. The `auctioning' of panchayat posts threatens to go on unfettered with political parties not coming forward to condemn the practice and the district administration pleading inability to annul it. From the posts of panchayat chief, the `auctioning' has started percolating down to the ward level. The Madurai Collector, Mr. S. Ramachandran, said he did not know about the locus standi of the administration to intervene, for saving the spirit of democracy which was in peril.

The officials, he explained, could not take suo motu action against those indulging in auctioning of the posts. So far, the instances had come to his notice only through newspaper reports and a peculiar situation had arisen. The Collector gave an assurance that he would act on specific complaints, and said the administration would take all steps to prevent the practice.

Dr. G. Palanithurai, coordinator, Rajiv Gandhi Chair for Panchayat Studies, Gandhigram Rural Institute, looks at the auctioning as an attempt by the `traditional panchayat system' trying to reestablish itself. The auction have so far been conducted only in places where a particular caste group is dominant. The State Government, he insists, should take immediate action as the auctions have been been conducted under the full glare of the media. Failure to prevent the practice would tantamount to allowing ``mafia-type'' takeover of the local bodies. Though auctioning took place in a few panchayats during the last elections, the practice has spread only now, thanks to a conducive climate.

Dr. Palanithurai questions the sincerity of a person paying several lakhs to take control of the panchayat with the sole intention of getting the money back after coming to power.

There are also worries getting the money of the reserved panchayats, where Dalit chiefs would be the puppets at the hands of the dominant community, which has been enjoying unlimited powers in the traditional system.

The bureaucracy, Dr. Palanithurai says, is in no mood to share power with the people and hence turns a blind eye to the auctions. The Government should send officials to the panchayats where auctions were held and also where elections could not be conducted owing to caste conflicts. The panchayats should be told in clear terms that development works would not take place if the due process of electing the local body was not followed. The auctions are seen as a direct threat to the 73rd constitution amendment.

What has surprised many is the silence on the part of political parties which have been pleading for taking power to the people. While their functionaries at the village level are also a party to the auctions, the parties themselves have not come forward to condemn the practice.

The villagers are not in a position to resent this violation of democratic norms as they apprehend either ostracisation or physical assault. But what would happen when a contest arises during elections, notwithstanding the ``selection by consensus''. The administration will have its hands full, having to tackle law and order problems in many places. And if the highest bidders get themselves elected unopposed, then the panchayats would fall into the hands of anti-socials.

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Section  : Southern States
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