Balasore: The district administration has initiated efforts to ensure that the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections are conducted in a free and fair manner.
Collector Pramod Kumar Das said the district administration will make all possible efforts to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of the panchayat polls.
A meeting was held under chairmanship of the collector at Zilla Parishad Conference Hall here Saturday to initiate preparations for the polls.
Additional collector Manmath Kumar Pani, additional superintendent of police Santosh Kumar Nayak and Balasore sub-collector Ramchandra Palta, Nilagiri sub-collector Ghasiram Murmu, and PD of DRDA Udaynarayan Das among others were present at the meeting. BDOs of all 12 blocks, tehsildars and gram panchayat officers also attended the meeting.
The officials brainstormed on several proposals on ensuring free and fair elections.
Speaking at the meeting, Das said Balasore has topped the list of newly-created panchayats in the state, which will be a challenge for the administration to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of elections.
Altogether 71 more new panchayats were carved out in the district but they have no panchayat offices to receive nomination papers from the aspiring candidates, he added.
Das directed the officials to make use of schools in the respective panchayats as panchayat office.
The collector asked the BDOs to keep lanterns, ballot boxes and necessary items ready at polling booths.
Besides, Das directed the BDOs and tehsildars to personally inspect all the booths.
The collector said he wanted all preparations in place by January 10 as nomination filing will be allowed from January 11 to 17.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held January 18 while candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by 3pm January 21.
According to reports, panchayat polls will be held from February 13 to 23 in five phases. A total of 15,51,283 voters will exercise their franchise to elect 45 zilla parishad members, 360 sarpanchs and 49 27 ward members in 12 blocks. PNN
