The gram sabha is a meeting of all adult citizens in a village who have the right to participate in decision-making for the village. The gram panchayat, on the other hand, is a body elected by the gram sabha to carry out various developmental activities and make decisions for the village.


The process of electing the gram panchayat is as follows:


The State Election Commission issues a notification announcing the date of the gram panchayat elections. This notification is posted in prominent places in the village to inform the residents about the upcoming elections.


Interested candidates who wish to contest the elections can file their nomination papers. They need to meet certain eligibility criteria such as age, educational qualifications, and residency in the village. The nomination forms can be obtained from the designated election officers.


After the candidates submit their nomination papers, they are scrutinized by the election officers. The officers check if the candidates fulfill all the eligibility criteria and if their nomination papers are in order.


If any candidate wishes to withdraw their nomination, they can do so within a specified time period after the scrutiny of nominations. This allows candidates who no longer wish to contest to withdraw their names from the election.


The candidates who remain in the election after the withdrawal stage start campaigning in the village. They communicate their agenda and plans to the villagers through various means like public meetings, door-to-door visits, and distributing pamphlets.


On the day of the election, the villagers who are eligible to vote gather at the designated polling station. They cast their votes by selecting the candidate of their choice on the ballot paper. The voting process is conducted in a free and fair manner under the supervision of election officers.


After the voting is completed, the ballot boxes are sealed and taken to the counting center. The counting of votes takes place in the presence of election officers and representatives of the candidates. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes is declared the winner and becomes a member of the gram panchayat.


The gram sabha plays a crucial role in electing the gram panchayat. Through a democratic process, the villagers participate in selecting their representatives who will work towards the development and welfare of the village.