Odisha govt willing for polls in nine ULBs

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Feb 26:

The Odisha government Wednesday informed the State Election Commission (SEC) of it readiness to hold elections in nine urban local bodies.

“The Commission has been informed on this account,” said Director, Municipal Administration, Sanjeev Mishra.

The state government informed the SEC of its preparedness to hold elections to municipal bodies of Paradip, Balimela, Redhakhol, Belpahar and Sunabeda that will be completing their terms and also for Dharmagarh, Daspalla, Tusra and Ranpur towns which have been newly accorded NAC status, sources said.

A notification for holding of elections to these Urban Local Bodies may be issued any time, said official sources.

Meanwhile, the Housing and Urban Development department Wednesday issued a statutory notification declaring constitution of new Rourkela Municipal Corporation which includes the Rourkela Municipality and two gram panchayats of Jagda and Jhadtarang.

The new municipal corporation will have 40 wards with an approximate population of 3.10 lakh. Limits of different wards and reservations for different categories have been finalized.

Sources said the new municipal corporation has no ward reserved for backward classes. The state government has solicited opinions/objections from the public in the notification.

A final notification will be issued after considering objections received from the public within the 10 days , said an official of the Housing and Urban Development department.

Earlier, there had been agitations over the shape and size of the new corporation. Even different political parties had taken to the streets on the issue. The situation had cooled down after Urban Development minister Pushpendra Singhdeo had assured to resolve the issues through discussions.

The notification was issued on the basis of deliberations made at a high level meeting at the state secretariat on Tuesday.

It may be mentioned here that earlier, Sambalpur Municipal Corporation was carved by merging municipal areas of Sambalpur, Hirakud and Burla and some villages on the periphery. The Sambalpur Municipal Corporation has 41 wards with an approximate population of 3.53 lakh.

Elections to both the newly formed corporations could be held towards April, said an official in the know.