Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Election Commission Saturday indicated that the next panchayat elections in the state are likely to be held in January–February next year, as the tenure of the existing panchayat bodies is nearing completion.
Addressing the media, State Election Commissioner Madhusudhan Padhi said a preparatory meeting was held to review arrangements and finalise the roadmap for the upcoming panchayat and urban local body elections. He announced that a door-to-door voter survey would be conducted for both rural and municipal polls to ensure updated and accurate electoral rolls. The survey is expected to be completed by March this year, though it may be delayed by about a month due to the ongoing census exercise.
Padhi clarified that the voter survey is unrelated to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and said booth reorganisation would be undertaken wherever necessary to improve voter convenience. The aim, he added, is to locate polling booths as close as possible to voters’ residences. He also said meetings are being held with district collectors, sub-collectors, deputy collectors, district panchayat officers and municipal commissioners as part of the election preparations, with the next meeting scheduled in Chhatrapur January 20
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