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Journalism of Courage
About 4,000 voters from 14 villages along the border between Maharashtra and Telangana could be the only ones in India to have the “privilege” to vote twice in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — in Maharashtra for the Chandrapur constituency in the first phase on April 19, and then in Telangana for the Adilabad constituency in the fourth phase on May 13.
Because of the decades-old boundary dispute between Maharashtra and Telangana, these 14 villages, located in a remote belt, with an aggregate population of over 6,000, have two of every institution and facility, provided by each of the neighbouring states — ranging from gram panchayats and sarpanches to primary government schools (one instructing in Marathi, the other in Telugu) and health care centres.
The territorial dispute over the 14 villages (called Sade Bara Gaav in Maharashtra) that fall in the Kerameri tehsil of Adilabad in Telangana and Jivati tehsil of Chandrapur in Maharashtra, dates back to 1956, when the state of Andhra Pradesh was formed.
The 14 villages come under two gram panchayats — Parandoli and Antapur — which are over 30 km apart. The villagers have two voter ID cards each with their names listed in the constituencies of both the states.
Each of the villagers also have two ration cards, Aadhaar cards, MNREGA cards, caste certificates and other documents — one each from Maharashtra and Telangana, based on their respective classifications — which enable them to avail benefits of social welfare schemes from both states.
The only difference between the two gram panchayats is that while all villages under Parandoli receive water and electricity supply from both states — although the Maharashtra services are billed — residents of the five villages under Antapur say only Telangana has been giving them water and electricity, that too for free.
Currently, the two elected sarpanches for the two gram panchyats in both Prandoli and Antapur are from different parties from Maharashtra and Telangana, because of which they also get two separate funds from their respective governments to carry out development works.
As the villagers, who mostly belong to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) communities, have ration cards from both states, they can also avail ration benefits as well as other schemes being implemented by both states.
Parandoli sarpanch Leenabai Birade — a member of the Congress in Maharashtra — and her husband Bharat said, “Yes, we have been voting on both sides in every Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. We have separate voter IDs from both state governments, and different administrations. If the election date is the same in both states, we vote in whichever state is feasible. But if it’s not on the same date, we vote on both sides, since we are getting facilities from both sides.”
On the issue of the villagers’ dual voting, Chandrapur district collector Vinay Gauda C G said that at a recent interstate meeting of administrative officials of both districts — Chandrapur in Maharashtra and Adilabad in Telangana — it was decided that the teams from both district administrations will counsel the villagers not to vote twice as that is unlawful.
“Not only are we counselling the villagers not to vote twice, we have also decided to apply the indelible ink on the entire index finger, instead of just a single mark, so that they can’t vote again,” Gauda said. “The administration of both districts will apply the ink on the entire finger so that it is easily identifiable.”
These are new developments. In the past, these villagers have voted on both sides. But, Gauda said, “Not only two votes, even having two voter ID cards from two places is unlawful. So we are conveying that to the villagers.”
A Parandoli sarpanch disagreed with the development, saying that the governments should first decide which state their villages belong to. “If voting twice is not according to law, then let the Election Commission ask the states to resolve our issue first. We are voting on both sides. If you have a problem with that, then ask the EC to remove our name from the list of any one constituency. We do not have a problem with that. Our only concern is that the authorities must tell us whether we are part of Maharashtra or Telangana. We do not have a problem in joining any state, as long as they resolve our issue with land ownership pattas (land ownership documents),” said Nimbadas Patange, the sarpanch of Mukadam wada of the Parandoli gram panchayat, who is affiliated with the BRS in Telangana.
Parandoli’s other sarpanch Leenabai Birade said that while benefit from both states is fine, their biggest grouse is that they can’t get their land registered in their names. “Since the land is designated as forest, it can’t be registered in anyone’s name. The demand of the villagers is to give us pattas (7/12 utara) in our names,” she said.
When The Indian Express visited Antapur and Narayanguda villages under the Antapur gram panchayat, several residents claimed they were being “neglected” by the Maharashtra government, whereas the Telangana government was providing facilities like water and electricity for free to them.
“We have everything here. We vote on both sides, but still we do not have basic facilities yet. We are in a state of limbo between Maharashtra and Telangana. At least the Telangana government is trying to help us, but the Maharashtra government is not concerned at all,” alleged Vitthal Rathod, a farmer from Narayanguda village.
At Antapur village, Vilas Pundlik, on whose land the Telangana government has built a school, agreed with Rathod, saying that he and most of his neighbours wish to be part of Telangana. “The Maharashtra government isn’t concerned about us at all. They are not giving us pattas, whereas the Telangana government has. It also gives us free power and water lines to each house, as well as pensions, rations and other schemes for women, children and farmers, which Maharashtra doesn’t,” Vilas claimed.
Sahebrao Bhadange’s wife, a BRS member, is a sarpanch of Antapur gram panchayat. “The Telangana government has given us all necessary certificates and documents, including land pattas, without any hassle. We should be allowed to join Telangana,” he said.
S Chockalingam, Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra, told The Indian Express that they have referred the matter to the Election Commission (EC) to ensure that the villagers are voting only in one of the states either in Maharashtra or in Telangana and do not vote twice. He said they have requested the ECI to guide Telangana to ensure that the villagers who have already voted are not allowed to vote again.
“The issue of these villages is under consideration and standard protocols are put in place. Generally when the voting takes place in Maharashtra and Telangana simultaneously then the villagers are free to go to one of the places and vote. Now this time this confusion is also not there. Election in Maharashtra is going to take place first and so our booths will be put up there,” Chockalingam said.
