Qualified To Govern? Villagers In Odisha Put Sarpanch Candidates Through Written Test

Ahead of polls, eight Sarpanch candidates in the tribal-dominated district of Sundargarh had to take a written test questioning them about their vision. Instead of getting swayed by promises, the villagers decided to hold a written test. Eight out of nine candidates wrote their answers to questions posed by the villagers of Malupada in Odisha. Candidates contesting for the post of Sarpanch were also asked to take oral tests.

A Range Of Questions Asked

The questions posed to the campaigning candidates ranged from the five primary objectives of contesting elections and, if elected, what would their goals be in the next five years. Questions like if you entered politics for social service, name five of your earlier social works; will you solve the problems of people after winning the election; how would your dream panchayat be; what is the population and number of wards in the panchayat; who are the sarpanches who held office previously, were put forth for the candidates. The winning candidate would be the one who performs to the satisfaction level of the villagers, The Hindu reported.

Other Villages With Similar Initiatives

The residents of Malupada village were annoyed with the lack of facilities. Therefore, they asked the contesting candidates to present their views for the next five years. The Panchayati Raj elections are scheduled in five phases from February 16 to 24 in Odisha. In the run-up polls, the villagers put the candidates in a tough spot with uneasy questions. In the nearby village called Pakatamunda in Dhenkanal district, villagers made the candidates swear by their village deities that they would fulfil their promises. Similarly, the Nayapalli villagers in the Jagannathprasad block of Ganjam district demanded that the candidates write their pledges on stamp paper.

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