Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 18: Elections to more than 700 cooperative societies were held Sunday.
As many as 3,624 of the 9,733 primary cooperative societies had been scheduled to go to polls Sunday. However, more than 2,900 such bodies remained uncontested with most of the candidates being supported by the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The village agricultural workers (VAW) and village level workers (VLW) were the presiding and election officers, respectively, sources said.
Elections are being held without the use of party symbols, but leading political parties such as BJD, Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have gone all out to ensure the victory of candidates supported by them.
Election to the rest of these primary coop bodies will go to poll January 25 in the first tire.
About 51 lakh members of different primary cooperative societies are to participate in this election. At least 15 members would be elected to each cooperative body, who will then elect the president and the vice-president.