Question

Contrast the “elections” in Uttaramerur with presentday panchayat elections.

NCERT Class 7th Social Science (Our Pasts II) Chapter 2 New Kings and Kingdoms

Answer 1

­The elections in  Uttaramerur were done through the lottery system, where the names of candidates were written on the chits. These chits were made up of palm leaves. Nowadays, the panchayat elections are carried out through panches or sarpanch and voted by the machine. 

Answer 2

The sabhas were an essential component of the local government practice of Tamil Nadu from the 17th to 20th century. Each Sabha had various organizations which commanded the creation and preservation of public buildings like churches, terraces, watering works etc. The titles of those people who were seen as qualified to be members of these organizations were recorded on palm leaf documents and put into a stone pot. A small boy then chose the tickets bearing the titles of the members of each organization. This method, with its requirements of property based qualification and preference of tickets, wasn't absolute. However, it can be seen as a forerunner to the future Panchayati system.

In present times, the Panchayat polls in India are accompanied on the foundation of constitutional principles, wherein wealth and luck did not play any role and residents of village decide whiom they want as their representative irrespective of wealth, caste, gender.