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Villagers Elect Sarpanch Candidate Using Unique Ballot Tradition
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News18•15-10-2026, 18:55
Villagers Elect Sarpanch Candidate Using Unique Ballot Tradition
- •In Takhatpura Kanyakhedi village of Bhilwara, villagers follow a unique tradition to elect their Sarpanch candidate before official polls.
- •Contenders deposited Rs 151000 for village school development to remain in the fray, leaving two final candidates.
- •A secret ballot process was conducted in front of God at the Charbhuja temple, with 459 male voters participating.
- •Manju Devi was chosen as the final Sarpanch candidate after votes were counted late in the evening.
- •This unique practice of unity and donation-based selection has been successfully running for the last 20 years across four elections.
Key Questions Answered
Villagers hold a secret ballot process in front of God at the Charbhuja temple, where candidates must first deposit Rs 1,51,000 for the village girls' school development before participating in the vote.
This unique tradition has been practiced for the last four elections, spanning approximately 20 years, to select a unified Sarpanch candidate.
The Kanyakhedi Gram Panchayat has a total of 2,700 voters, split between 1,800 in Takhatpura and 900 in Kanyakhedi, with the Sarpanch seat reserved for a Scheduled Caste (SC) woman.
