Gurdaspur DC orders probe into Rs 2-cr sarpanch auction

Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Uma Shankar Gupta has marked a probe into the issue pertaining to the auction of the post of sarpanch of Hardorwal Kalan village in the Fatehgarh Churian revenue block. The village falls under the administrative jurisdiction of Dera Baba Nanak subdivision. SDM Rajpal Singh Sekhon has been asked to submit the inquiry report within 72 hours.

The DC said the administration could not take any action against Atma Singh at this stage. “We can initiate action only if Atma Singh submits his nomination form and subsequently he turns out to be the only candidate who has filed papers. If there is more than one candidate in the fray, then there will be a contest. If there is a contest, we cannot take any action against him,” said DC Gupta.

Sources say even if Atma Singh turns out to be the sole candidate, it will not be an easy task for the administration to proceed against him because of certain technicalities involved.

Atma Singh left his house early this morning after the auction story broke out in the media. His son, Ajayraj Singh, said “his father had gone somewhere and would return soon”. Notably, an auction for the post of sarpanch was held in the village community hall where Atma Singh, an ex-sarpanch, handed over a cheque for Rs 2 crore to office-bearers of the Naujawan Sabha, a 21-member body which looks after the development of the village. The sabha came into existence after the state government had dissolved village panchayats.

The auction had started from Rs 50 lakh and closed at Rs 2 crore. The auction was to recommence today but the sabha members have put the process on hold after the entire procedure acquired the contours of a controversy.