Why Maharashtra's Unopposed Panchayat Seats Shouldn't Be Touted as Ideal The Election Commission received complaints about auctions being held for certain panchayat seats. Supporters welcome winning candidates during counting day of the Gram Panchayat elections in Maharashtra, in Thane district, Monday, Tuesday, January 18, 2021. Photo: PTI Politics20/Jan/2021 Mumbai: On January 15, elections were conducted in 14,234 gram panchayats of Maharashtra. Of them, in 1,523 villages local bodies, the elections were contested unopposed. While the villages and political parties have touted these unopposed elections as managed through a âgeneral consensusâ, videos and other ground evidence that have emerged pointing at concerted efforts to gain control over these local bodies. Auctions took over the democratic electoral process in most of these villages, but were presented as villagersâ âunanimous decisionâ to elect members unopposed.