In an unprecedented turn of events, the Kolbari Gaon Panchayat, nestled within the Abhayapuri subdivision of Bongaigaon district, witnessed its presidential election decided not by ballot, but by the capricious flight of a coin. This extraordinary resolution came after a gripping voting deadlock, leaving officials with a truly unique democratic dilemma.
The peculiar incident unfurled during the crucial panchayat formation process within the Srijangram Development Block, a part of the broader reconstitution of local self-government bodies sweeping across the district. The ten newly elected members of the Kolbari Gaon Panchayat found themselves perfectly split, with five staunchly supporting Bina Das and the other five equally committed to Jaymala Sarkar. This perfect equilibrium rendered traditional voting futile, prompting the overseeing officials to resort to the age-old method of chance.
With bated breath, the coin was tossed, its fate-deciding descent observed by all present. When it landed, it was Bina Das upon whom fortune smiled, the flip declaring her the duly elected president of Kolbari Gaon Panchayat. While the sight of a coin determining a leader might raise eyebrows, officials underscored that such a method, though unconventional, finds its legal footing under specific procedural provisions designed for situations where a decisive vote remains elusive, serving as a final recourse when other consensus-building efforts fall short.