The Forum for Good Governance on Tuesday (December 2) warned that the rise of unanimous elections won by coercion, inducements, and forced withdrawals threatens democracy in Gram Panchayat polls. Speaking in Hyderabad, members said political parties and unfair tactics now dominate these crucial local elections. The polls, held in three phases with results out the same day, may distort voting trends. Former IAS officer R.V. Chandravadan stated, "Political parties had turned sarpanch elections into party-based contests, undermining the spirit of local self-governance." Retired bureaucrat M.V. Reddy added, "The practice of auctioning posts was dangerous for democracy and excludes disadvantaged communities." Forum Secretary Soma Srinivas Reddy said, "Candidates who purchased positions through auctions often failed to serve their villages and were more likely to engage in corrupt practices." Former TGPSC member T. Vivek urged educated youth to contest to develop their villages. Forum president M. Padmanabha Reddy welcomed the State Election Commission's November 27 circular to curb forced unanimous polls but called it insufficient. The circular demands stricter checks by the Special Monitoring Cell to verify withdrawals and unanimous wins are free from coercion or auctions. Officials must withhold or cancel elections if irregularities surface. The forum proposed two resolutions: counting votes from all three phases together on December 17 and pausing unopposed elections for a week for inquiry. "If irregularities such as auctions or forced withdrawals are detected, the poll should be countermanded and a repoll ordered," said Padmanabha Reddy.