Polls to 22 western Odisha ULBs on Nov 22

OST Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Oct 21:

The state election commission (SEC) today announced that polls for 22 urban local bodies (ULBs) in nine districts, which did not participate in the polls held on September 19 due to the agitation by lawyers seeking a permanent bench of the High Court in western Odisha, will be held on November 22.

However, election to the Sambalpur municipality, Hirakud NAC and Rourkela municipality would not be held now in view of the state government’s decision to accord corporation status to Sambalpur and Rourkela.

Nomination forms will be issued from October 28 and can be submitted by November 1 while scrutiny of nominations will be held on November 4. The candidates can withdraw their candidature on November 7, an official notification said.

While the counting of votes is scheduled to be held on November 23, the SEC has notified elections for the post of chairpersons on December 4. The poll process will come to an end with the election of vice-chairpersons on December 30, the notification said.

State election commissioner Ajit Tripathy informed that the model code of conduct will come into effect with the announcement of election dates and will be in force till the completion of counting.

A total 6, 07,715 voters will exercise their franchise at 669 booths of 342 wards of 10 municipalities and 12 NACs, he said.

It is to be noted that the SEC had deferred the poll dates for 25 urban bodies following the strike of lawyers in western Odisha seeking permanent bench of High Court. However, normalcy has restored in the districts after the government recommended benches of High Court in western Odisha as well as southern Odisha.