HYDERABAD: As part of efforts to curb the actions of the Village Development Committees that had auctioned the Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) seats, the State Election Commission on Saturday stopped the election process in Anksapur MPTC in Velpur mandal of Nizamabad district.

Apart from stopping the election, the Commission directed the Nizamabad Collector to file a First Information Report (FIR) with the police and launch prosecution against the persons responsible for auctioning the seat.

Report sent

The Commission Secretary G. N. Rao said cases under Section 211 (1) of the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 read with Sections 171 B and E of the Indian Penal Code would be filed against the guilty. Mr. Rao told reporters here that the Collector, who is the District Election Authority, sent his report to the Commission on Saturday.

Corrupt practice

The report said the Anksapur seat was auctioned for a sum of Rs. 1.80 lakhs on June 14. The VDC asked the highest bidder to pay the amount to it and made it clear that none except the highest bidder should file nomination. It even issued a warning that grave consequences would follow if any other person filed nomination.

The Collector named the highest bidder as Namala Ashok. He deposited Rs. 25,000 as the initial amount and agreed to pay the balance in 30 days. Others who participated in the auction were Butti Santosh, Teetla Gangaram and Aggu Mahipal. Ashok filed his nomination on June 14.

Mr. Rao said the Commission had come to the conclusion that there was prima facie case of auctioning of the seat and consequently of a corrupt practice and intimidation of the prospective candidates. It was necessary to curb money and muscle power to maintain the purity of elections. He said the Commission was of the view that the very act of auctioning of the post subverted the democratic process and vitiated the election atmosphere.

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