Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC), Odisha Thursday issued the formal notification for election to the three tier panchayati raj institutions (PRIs).
SEC secretary R N Sahoo said as per the notification, the candidates can file their nomination papers from January 17 to 21. The final date of withdrawing their nominations is January 25.
While scrutiny of the nominations will be done on January 22, the final list of the candidates will be published on January 25 after completion of withdrawal, he said.
While the notification for election of ward members, sarpanchs, panchayat samiti members were issued at gram panchayats, block and sub-collectors offices in different districts issued notification for the zilla parishad election.
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Meanwhile, hoardings and stickers highlighting the government schemes with the picture of politicians, were brought down at different places across the state on Thursday, a day after the SEC’s direction to the district collectors.
State Election Commissioner A P Padhi had announced that the panchayat election will be held in five phases from February 16 to 24. Voting will be held on February 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 from 7 am to 1 pm amid strict COVID-19 protocol and the counting of votes be conducted on February 26, 27 and 28.
The model code of conduct for the panchayat poll, which came into effect with the notification will end on the day of the final declaration of the election results.
The election for panchayat samiti vice-chairpersons and zilla parishad vice-presidents will be held on March 23 and 25, the SEC said.
The election will be held for the posts of 91,913 ward members, 6,794 sarpanches, 6,793 panchayat samiti members and 853 zilla parishad members, it added.
PTI
