Village in Gurdaspur Holds Unprecedented Auction for Sarpanch Post, Bidding Reaches Record High of Rs 2 Crore
The scenic village of Hardowal Kalan in Gurdaspur district made headlines recently for conducting a unique auction to select its next village head. In an unprecedented move, the locals opted to put the influential position of sarpanch up for bidding rather than holding traditional democratic elections.
The bidding event, organized by the village youth council, began at Rs 50 lakh but saw intense competition drive the highest offer all the way up to a whopping Rs 2 crore. The winning bid was placed by former sarpanch and local BJP leader Atma Singh, who dropped a cheque for that record breaking sum. Singh defended the auction process, stating it ensured transparency compared to politicians wielding influence behind the scenes.
While villagers appeared supportive of the novel approach, believing it brought transparency, the action has sparked significant debate. Many officials condemned bypassing elections, seeing it as undermining grassroots democracy. Leader of Opposition Bajwa even demanded a probe, accusing organizers of “murdering democracy” and illegitimately monetizing a public service role.
Hardowal Kalan, with its 300 acre lands and history of consensus sarpanch selections, now finds its democratic system challenged. With the auction unfinished, all eyes are on where the final bid lands and how this watershed event might impact governance integrity and money's role in Punjab's rural dynamics going forward. Only time will tell what impact this groundbreaking village auction makes on traditional panchayati raj.
