Archive · 15 Dec 2025
Women Win Sarpanch Seats by Narrow Margins
In two different villages in India, women won the elections to become village leaders by very small margins.
In one village, two women got the same number of votes, so they had to pick the winner by drawing lots.
The woman who won is named Ketawat Sunitha.
In another village, a woman named Mutyala Srideva won by just one vote.
Her father-in-law, who came from the US, cast the deciding vote for her.
Both elections show how important every single vote can be.
The villages are called Cheepurudubbathanda and Bagapur, and they are part of bigger areas called Medak mandal and Nirmal district.
Ketawat Sunitha (Congress) won the Sarpanch election in Cheepurudubbathanda village, Medak mandal, after a tie was resolved by a draw of lots.
Mutyala Srideva won the Sarpanch election in Bagapur Gram Panchayat, Lokeshwaram Mandal, Nirmal district, by a single vote.
In Cheepurudubbathanda, both Sunitha and Beamili (BRS) received 182 votes each out of 377 cast.
In Bagapur, Srideva received 189 votes while Harashaswathi got 188 votes out of 378 cast, with one vote being invalid.
Mutyala Indrakaran Reddy, who came from the US, cast the deciding vote for his daughter-in-law Srideva in Nirmal.
- Who
- Ketawat Sunitha (Congress) and Beamili (BRS) in Medak; Mutyala Srideva and Harashaswathi in Nirmal
- What
- Narrow wins in Sarpanch elections
- When
- Sunday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- Cheepurudubbathanda village, Medak mandal and Bagapur Gram Panchayat, Lokeshwaram Mandal, Nirmal district
- Why
- Both elections had extremely close results, decided by a draw of lots in Medak and a single vote in Nirmal
- Location 1
- Cheepurudubbathanda village, Medak mandal
- Votes Cast 1
- 377
- Winning Candidate 1
- Ketawat Sunitha (Congress)
- Losing Candidate 1
- Beamili (BRS)
- Votes per Candidate 1
- 182 each
- Decision Method 1
- Draw of lots
- Returning Officer 1
- Venkataiah
- Location 2
- Bagapur Gram Panchayat, Lokeshwaram Mandal, Nirmal district
- Votes Cast 2
- 378
- Winning Candidate 2
- Mutyala Srideva
- Losing Candidate 2
- Harashaswathi
- Votes per Candidate 2
- 189 and 188
- Deciding Vote
- Mutyala Indrakaran Reddy (from US)
Sources
Medak Sarpanch Election Ends in Deadlock: Congress's Sunitha Wins Cheepurudubbathanda Seat by Lottery
Rising Political Awakening Among Sagar Community: Sarpanch and Ward Member Victors Felicitated in Jogulamba Gadwal District
Woman Wins Sarpanch Elections with 1 Vote in Nirmal District
