Odisha Panchayat polls: Fresh dates declared for filing nominations

Bhubaneswar: State Election Commission today announced fresh dates for filing nominations for upcoming 3-tier Odisha Panchayat polls to the constituencies where no nominations have been filed or rejected on various grounds.

As per the announcement, the aspirants can file their nomination papers for election to ward members, sarpanch and panchayat samiti member between January 29 and 31.

“The candidates are being given second chance to file nomination for panchayat elections to different wards, sarpanches and panchayat samiti in constituencies where no nominations were filled or nominations were rejected. We found that no application has been received from over 4,000 areas to contest the polls to the post of ward members, sarpanch and panchayat samiti members,” State Election Commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi told in a presser here today.

The notification in this regard will be officially released on January 27, 2022.

The candidates can file the nomination papers from 11 am to 3 pm between January 29 and 31, 2022.

The nomination papers will be verified on February 1, 2022. The nomination can be withdrawn by 3 pm on February 4, 2022. The final list of candidates will be announced after 3 pm on the same day.

“If no candidates will file the nominations from those places, the State Government will select the local representatives for the posts without election,” the SEC made it clear.

The panchayat elections in Odisha are scheduled from February 16. The 3-tier elections will be held in five phases on February 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24. People will exercise their franchise from 7 am to 1 pm. The counting of votes will take place at Block, Sadar level on February 26, 27 and 28.

Read: BREAKING: Dates for Odisha Panchayat Polls declared