Bihar panchayat polls: Everyone in race for mukhiya’s post

As Bihar goes to a 10-phase panchayat election that begins on April 20 and concludes in May-end,the figures say it all — 79,423 candidates are in the fray for the post of 8,442 mukhiyas,while 36,560 are fighting for the same mumber of sarpanch posts.

This means,over 10 persons on an average are contesting one for mukhiya’s post whereas only four are in the fray for a sarpanch’s post.

Fifty per cent seats are reserved for women since the 2006 panchayat election. The lesser-known panch’s post,which is below the sarpanch,has even fewer takers.

At some places,there are no nominations for panch’s posts while at other places,people have won uncontested. At Dawoodnagar in Aurangabad,there is no nomination for 50 panch posts while 129 panchs have won uncontested.

On the contrary,there is a huge rush for Zila Parishad members. The Zila Parishad is the top layer of Panchayati Raj system and has 40-50 members in a district.

As these members elect the Zila Parishads’ chairmen — who have financial powers — at some places,there are over 20 people in contention for a single post.

At Goh in Aurangabad,one panchayat has 30 candidates for a zila parishad post.

State Election Commission deputy secretary and public relations officer Rajiv Rathore said: “By April,there were 79,423 candidates in fray for mukhiyas while 36,560 for the same mumber of sarpanch posts.”

Asked about the reasons,Rathore said: “It is obvious. Sarpanch posts have no financial powers,mukhiyas control sundry development schemes”.

Besides having a major say in the implementation of Indira Awas Scheme and rural road schemes of the Central and state governments,mukhiyas in Bihar are cheque-signing authorities with block development officers. A mukhiya is the appointing authority of panchayat teachers (over 2.5 teachers have been appointed since 2006),Vikas Mitra (for social welfare schemes),Aanganwadi and ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers.

Any construction of school buildings and MNREGA works have to be routed through the mukhiya concerned. But a sarpanch has only judicial powers and settles financial disputes worth Rs 10,000. A sarpanch often faces embarrassment as people reach out to mukhiyas to settle their petty land and domestic disputes.

The government often receives corruption complaints against mukhiyas. Allegations of corruption in the appointment of panchayat teachers rankled the government so much that it had to set up an appellate tribunal to resolve the matter.

Human Resource Development Department sources said hundreds of corruption complaints against mukhiyas are pending for disposal at appellate tribunals.

“We cannot help it. Even though block education officers control and oversee panchayat development works,corruption complaints keep coming,” they said.

THE DIFFERENCE

A mukhiya

* Controls development schemes

* Is cheque-signing authority with BDO

* Can apppoint panchayat teachers

A sarpanch

* Has only judicial powers

* No financial powers