Dummy Candidate Wins Unopposed, Madhya Pradesh Bourg Gets Its All-Women Panchayat

To promote women’s participation, state and union governments in India have various schemes that benefit women. Seats are also reserved in governance—local or national—for women. However, in one Madhya Pradesh village, the entire Gram panchayat, the village-level governance body, is formed by women without any reservation.

In Damkheda village, located 50km from the capital city Bhopal, the Panch and Sarpanch are all women who won the polls unopposed. Phoolbai Kushwaha, elected as the sarpanch, had initially filled the form with her husband as a dummy candidate and then went on to become the real sarpanch, reports stated.

Allegedly, a third person had applied to become a Sarpanch as well but the male candidates backed out which then led to Phoolbai's victory. Alongside her, 17 other women for posts at the governance body were then elected unopposed.

Dummy Candidate Wins Polls Unopposed

According to the reports in the media, the senior citizens and election candidates had gathered for a meeting on June 9, a day before the last date of withdrawing nominations. During this meeting, the villagers unanimously decided that all the men candidates will back out from the same.

Why? The decision was made because the government awards Rs 15 lakh to a village if the local governing body including the sarpanch was a woman and elected unopposed. And the money would help in advancing developmental works in the village including the ongoing temple renovation.

Following the decision made in this meeting, both the men, Ramesh Kushwaha, Phoolbai's husband and Laxman Vishwakarma, another candidate, withdrew their names from the election. Because of their withdrawal, Phoolbai was elected unopposed.

Reportedly, this is the first time that the village is witnessing an all-woman Panch has been elected unopposed without any reservation.

Khajuriya Village All-Women Panchayat

In another village called Khajuriya, women were elected unopposed, in spite of men candidates competing, and will now be forming the Panchayat governance.

What Is A Dummy Candidate?

A candidate that participates in the elections with no intention or desire or chance of winning. Their main aim is to direct preferences to other candidates or to distribute proper poll expenses to overcome the prescribed limits regarding advertising and financing in India.

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