
Sarpanch post ‘auctioned’ for Rs 44.1 lakh in Odisha’s Bolangir, SEC initiates inquiry
India Today
A meeting was held last week to 'auction' the sarpanch post for Rs 44.1 lakh in Odisha’s Bolangir district. The State Election Commission (SEC) has sought a factual report on the same matter by 5 pm today.
Days before the nomination process for the panchayat elections began in Odisha, an influential group of people from a remote gram panchayat in Balangir district auctioned the post of sarpanch for Rs 44.1 lakh.
While the nomination process began on Monday, the three-tier panchayat elections in Odisha will be held in five phases from February 16 to 24. Results will be declared on February 26, 27 and 28.

A prominent seer, Pranavananda Swamiji, alleged that mutts backing Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to take over the top post were denied any allocation in the state budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He reiterated his support for Shivakumar to take over as the chief minister.

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According to the police, 19-year-old Sachin Dharmendrabhai Chaudhary, who works as a labourer, had borrowed the money before expressing his inability to repay it immediately, police said. He was allegedly threatened with his life over the delay in repayment. Fearing for his life, Sachin immediately alerted the police.










