Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) today issued official notification for elections to 106 Urban Local Bodies (47 Municipalities and 59 NACs) and three municipal corporations in Odisha, which is scheduled to be held on March 24. The counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on March 26.

Filing of nomination papers will be allowed from March 2 to March 7. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on March 9 while withdrawal of nomination papers will be allowed up to March 14.

Elections to the posts of mayors in municipal corporations and chairpersons of municipalities and notified area councils (NACs) will be held for the very first time.

More than 27 lakh voters will exercise their franchise at 3030 booths in 1731 wards of the 106 Urban Local Bodies. Similarly, polling will be held at 1407 booths in 168 wards of three municipal corporations--  Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC). There are around 14.26 lakh voters in the 3 municipal corporations.

There will be NOTA option in the ULB elections for the first time in Odisha.