There were seven contestants for the five-member panchayat, they went from barrack to barrack campaigning, with more and more promises. The campaign came to a close at 12 noon, four hours before the polling began.Baroda Central Jail first went to polls in 1969. The Jail Panchayat has seven members, one seat is reserved for women. Each member -- isevak -- carries out the administrative duties assigned by the jail authorities. And today, the prisoners voted to elect their representatives for the next one year. While Moonjiben, a murder convict serving life term, was elected unopposed in the women's barrack, Vicky alias Anwar Hussai -- sentenced to life term in a murder case -- won the elections for male panchayat with the highest number of votes. Anwar's election symbol was theswastik. He polled 278 votes.

Only convicts who've spent a minimum time in jail (three years for those serving life terms and one year for others) and have good behaviour records can contest the elections.

Raisinh Dallabhai Parmar, who is serving life term in the jail for the last 10 years for murder, has been elected sevak every year for the last five years. He told The Indian Express that as most of the prisoners belonged to his home district of Panchmahals, it was easy to garner support. Parmar, however, alleged that some of the contestants tried to buy votes by distributing cigarettes, biscuits and eatables.

A few days before the polls, a general circular is issued, but the prisoners are given only a day for canvassing and the elections are held on the same day. The ballot is secret and the candidates get to choose their symbols.There was one polling booth but two counters for issuing tokens to voters. Separate ballot boxes displayed the symbol of each candidate. The prisoners were to put theirtokens in the ballot boxes of their choice. The sevaks are given a honorarium of Rs 14 a day, which is equal to what is paid for a skilled worker in the jail. Jail Superintendent Ramniwas Meena says the elections have not polarised the convicts or led to any law and order problems. Vacancies caused by the release of sevaks, he adds, are filled by defeated candidates with the next highest number of votes.