From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bangalore, May 4: Consider the contrast in the grama panchayat polls: While not a single nomination paper was filed for as many as 119 seats in different districts, Yadgir district accounted for the highest number of 505 candidates declared elected unopposed.

Incidentally, a total of 3,941 candidates have been declared elected unopposed in 16 out of the 30 districts in the state.

If these figures, by themselves are not impressive enough, there are large number of seats in several grama panchayats where the local village elders have taken the decision to ``auction’’ the seats to the highest bidders for amounts ranging from Rs 2 to 5 and even 10 lakh, unmindful of the fact that technically and legally such ``auction’’ cannot be held.

The district-wise candidates elected unopposed are: Bangalore Urban – 171, Bangalore Rural – 173, Ramangara – 142, Kolar – 152, Chikkballapur – 103, Tumkur – 287, Chitradurga – 169, Davanagere – 333, Shimoga – 175, two taluks in Udupi – 51, Bidar – 208, Bellary – 454, Raichur – 398, Gulbarga – 413, Yadgir – 505, and Koppal – 207, according to officials in the State Election Commission.

The number of candidates elected unopposed in 15 districts that go to polls in the second phase would be known on Wednesday, the officials said.

Interestingly, no nominations have been filed in 119 seats of gram panchayats in different districts in the State for which April 26 and April 28 were last dates for filing nominations in the first and second phase polls respectively.

 This means, the State Election Commission has to announce a calendar of events to hold polls in 119 seats again, the officials said.