Bhubaneswar: Odisha State Election Commissioner (SEC) Madhusudan Padhi Sunday said that the three-tier panchayat elections will be held on time.
Speaking to reporters in Bhubaneswar on the sidelines of an event organised to observe the National Voters’ Day, Padhi said, “The Panchayat elections will be held on time, after completion of five year tenure of the existing Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI).”
The last rural polls were held in the state in five phases starting from February 16, 2022, and the next elections are due in 2027.
He, however, said that the necessary groundwork, including identification of polling booths and availability of ballot boxes, has begun at the revenue divisional level.
The SEC held meetings with district collectors over the last 10 to 12 days to assess initial preparations and streamline the preparatory steps required for holding the elections, Padhi said.
“Directions have been issued to begin work related to booths, ballot boxes and other required items, and we will follow up on this accordingly,” the SEC said.
Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal had earlier hinted that the panchayat elections in the state will be advanced by six months.
“The upcoming panchayat elections could be held earlier than scheduled, possibly two to three months ahead of the census,” Samal said while addressing the party workers and leaders at a meeting.
He had also told the BJP workers that all should remain prepared for the event as the BJP needs to win all the wards, gram panchayats and Zilla Parishad seats.
There are a total of 853 Zilla Parishad seats, 91,916 wards and 6,794 panchayats that will go to the polls.
Meanwhile, opposition BJD criticised the ruling BJP for making such an announcement of panchayat polls in its party office.
“The BJP has announced a constitutional matter at its party office. Which kind of mentality is this?” asked BJD MLA Arun Sahoo.
BJP leader Babu Singh claimed that his party is ready to fight the rural polls in the state. The party president has given advice to party leaders in this direction, Singh said.
PTI