The Congress government in Telangana is expected to abolish the joint cheque power system for sarpanch and upa sarpanch in gram panchayats, which was introduced by the previous BRS government. Instead, the government plans to revert to the earlier system where the sarpanch and the government-appointed panchayat secretary jointly hold cheque signing authority.
Proposals in the Works
Officials from the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department are preparing proposals to this effect. These proposals will be presented to Panchayat Raj Minister D Anasuya soon. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will make the final decision after consulting with his cabinet colleagues. Although a similar proposal was made in December 2024, it was not implemented at that time.
Need for Legislative Amendment
The previous BRS government had introduced the joint cheque power system for sarpanch and upa sarpanch through the Panchayati Raj Act of 2018. To revert to the old system, the Congress government will need to amend the provisions of the Act in the state assembly.
Delays Due to Differences
Sources in the Panchayat Raj department revealed that several development works have been delayed due to conflicts between sarpanch and upa sarpanch from different political parties in many gram panchayats. Instances have been reported where upa sarpanches refused to sign cheques for various reasons. Some of these incidents occurred in panchayats where the sarpanch belongs to the SC or ST community and the upa sarpanch belongs to other communities.
However, sarpanches argue that the issue is not solely about caste differences. Personal political rivalry, one-upmanship, and expectations of personal benefits also play a role. In some cases, upa sarpanches have even refused to sign cheques for the monthly honorarium of the sarpanch.
Stakeholder Reactions
G Lakshmi Narasimha Reddy, state president of Sarpanchula Sankshema Sangham, stated that a sarpanch is elected by the entire village, while an upa sarpanch is a ward member. He believes reverting to the old system of joint cheque power between the sarpanch and a government official (panchayat secretary) would be a better option.
On the other hand, Yadaiah Goud, a leader of the sarpanches' Joint Action Committee, questioned the guarantee that there would be no standoff between the sarpanch and the panchayat secretary. He noted that in both systems, differences can arise if one party expects personal benefits. He urged the state government to focus on clearing pending bills amounting to over ₹350 crore and warned of a protest at the chief minister's camp office on June 1 if the bills are not released.
