ULB polls: State paves way for open voting

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Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the elections to urban local bodies (ULBs), the government has amended municipal laws to pave way for open ballot system during no confidence motions against the civic body chairperson and vice-chairperson.
The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department has issued the amended Odisha Municipal Act, 1950 and the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, to facilitate the open ballot system, sources in the department said here Thursday.
Those who are having any objection or suggestion regarding the new norms can submit their opinions by August 17, the source said.
On February 8, the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had decided to bring in necessary amendments to the two Acts.
During the elections of municipal chairperson/mayor, vice-chairperson/ deputy mayor, political parties are issuing whips. But due to the secret ballot system no party is able to know who voted for which party. Therefore, the government has amended the rules to ensure that the elected members of political parties have voted for a member of the party concerned, they said.
As per the draft Act, a political party can engage its authorised agent who will verify the ballot paper of councillors of the party before he/she casts the vote during no confidence motions.
With the amendment, violation of the whip by a political party can be identified and the proof will enable the State Election Commission (SEC) to disqualify elected members for defection, they added.