One Vote Makes All the Difference: Woman Candidate Wins Election After Three-Year Legal Battle

In Hansi's Petwad village, the biggest example of the value of one vote in an election was seen. A woman candidate who lost the election for the post of panch did not give up, approached the court, and after three and a half years, the same election result was reversed. The election for the post of panch was held in November 2022 in Ward-2 of the village Petwad. The contest was between Kamlesh and Ritu. After counting, Kamlesh got 119 votes and Ritu got 118 votes. Ritu lost the election by just one vote. The matter did not calm down after the results were announced at that time. Ritu filed a petition in the court questioning the election process. After a legal battle that lasted for about 43 months, the court ordered a recount. The ballot box was opened on Friday at the BDPO office in Narnaund. The election story took a new turn when the counting of votes began in the presence of officials. Ritu's vote came out as 118, but Kamlesh's ballot was found to be completely blank during the scrutiny of the votes and Kamlesh's ballot was sealed two times later.