Panchayat elections: SEC cancels polling in two Maha villages

The State Election Commission hascancelled polling in two Gram Panchayats in Nashik andNandurbar districts of Maharashtra, after it received evidenceof public auctioning of the posts of sarpanch and members ofthe local governing bodies, an official said on Wednesday.

State Election Commissioner UPS Madan has made theannouncement two days before the Gram Panchayat polls, whichare scheduled to be held on January 15.

According to an official statement, there were reportsof public auctioning of the posts of sarpanch and members ofUmrane and Khondamali Gram Panchayats in Nashik and Nandurbardistricts respectively, and the SEC had received complaintsabout it.

''The commission took the decision of cancelling thepoll process there, after studying the reports from districtcollectors, poll observers, sub-divisional officers andtehsildars and documents and video tapes,'' the statement said.

The SEC has instructed the district collectors andpolice superintendents to take legal action against peopleconcerned as per section 171 (C) of the Indian Penal Code orother laws, the statement said.