The state election commission in Odisha has asked the Bolangir district collector to look into the allegations of a sarpanch post in Bileisarda panchayat under Puintala block been auctioned and file a report.

“We are waiting for the report,” said a senior official of the SEC.

Meanwhile, the district administration on Tuesday sent the local sub collector to the panchayat to inquire and submit a detailed report as soon as possible that would later be sent to the SEC.

As per reports, the villagers had organised a gram sabha meeting on Saturday and asked all the four members contesting for the post of sarpanch to remain present and listen to their demands.

At the meeting, the villagers told the contestants that they would back only one of them who would support construction of a new temple and undertake the repair work of the existing temple in their panchayat. The Bileisarda panchayat comprises three villages with around 3,300 voters. Later, the post was auctioned in the gram sabha, source said.

Accordingly, Sushant Chhatria, 47, a small-time contractor, won it for Rs 44,000 in the auction. However, there were allegations that the post was auctioned for Rs 44 lakh which was vociferously denied by all.

“I had not paid a single rupee to the villagers. I promised to support the construction of a temple, repair the existing temple, work for the periphery development of the village and accordingly provide financial help. The financial help could be within Rs 50,000,” Chhatria told The Telegraph over phone.

He said: “It was agreed in the gram sabha meeting that all would support me and none would contest against me. I will file the nomination papers soon. There is no question of auctioning the post but there is consensus that everyone will support my candidature. All need to wait till the withdrawal of the nomination papers, that is January 25.”Odisha would witness a five-phase panchayat poll beginning February 16. Election in Bileisarda panchayat under Puintala is scheduled to be held on February 18.”