Panchayat elections to be held on October 15 in Punjab have become big headlines for every newspaper these days. These elections are the main topic of daily discussions on TV channels. Panchayati Raj is basically the local self-government system of villages in rural India. Because a large population of India lives in villages. These panchayats have their own importance in rural management, local development and judicial system. Our country's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji inaugurated the Panchayat at Nagor (Rajasthan) on 2 October 1959. This day was chosen on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. Gandhiji was in favor of Gram Swaraj through Panchayati Raj. Panchayats now form the governance system in India and are the basic unit of local administration.
A few decades ago, becoming a panchayat member or a sarpanch was considered a huge responsibility. Due to the limited resources of employment, every common man used to shy away from taking this responsibility. For this, instead of giving time to one's family or earning daily bread, one had to give time to common activities. If we talk about some of the basic duties of Panchayats, they mainly include implementation of central and state government policies at the village level, determination and collection of local taxes, construction, repair and cleaning of streets and drains. Apart from this, taking care of the common land of the village which is called Shamlat and giving it on contract through public bidding, auction of bones is also included. If we talk about the duties and rights of the Sarpanch, then answering the questions raised by the Panchayat members They include the implementation of decisions taken by the majority and the resolutions passed, maintaining law and order at the village level, and settling local disputes by community consensus. Apart from this, proper utilization of government funds is also a fundamental and major responsibility of Panchayats.
Once upon a time, the Sarpanch and other Panchayat members were elected by general consensus or consensus in most villages. Gradually, with the strengthening of the economic condition of the people, money began to be used to win elections. With their influence, the parties of Rushukh and liquor became part of the Panchayat elections. Somewhere the movement of distributing money to the voters to vote in their favor also started.
But this time in Punjab, which is going to be held on 15th October Panchayat elections, a strange trend is coming to the fore, that is bidding of money for the post of Sarpanch. According to the news, in three villages of Punjab, 35 lakhs 50 thousand in Kothe Cheeda Wali (Muktsar), about 60 lakhs in Gehri Buttar (Bathinda) and 2 crores in Hardowal Kalan (Gurdaspur) were bid to get sarpanchi. After the news in the media and newspapers, the Punjab State Election Commission has taken strict notice and has asked the concerned Deputy Commissioners to submit a report in this regard within 24 hours. Public interest petitions have also been filed in the Hon'ble High Court by some aware citizens and public interest lawyers of the state. Everyone agrees that Punjab is a prosperous state.
 The residents here are open and generous in nature. In the villages where this bidding process has taken place, the people of those places are reasoning that this money will be spent for the welfare of the village. But what kind of people's tantra is this, if any Sarde puja person has the feeling and capacity for the welfare of the village, then he can serve even without any position.
 Buying positions and positions by bidding clearly means marginalizing qualified, hardworking and capable people, because they are poor. This is a broad day murder of the rights of honest people. Well, our constitutional institutions and governments are fully aware. It is hoped that such illegal and impractical trends will be severely punished soon.