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‘Odisha panchayat polls candidates can spend more’: State Election Commission
Candidates contesting for zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats in the forthcoming panchayat polls in Odisha scheduled next year can spend more and use more vehicles, the State Election Commission said in a notification on Monday
Candidates contesting for zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats in the forthcoming panchayat polls in Odisha scheduled next year can spend more and use more vehicles, the State Election Commission said in a notification on Monday.
It said while candidates contesting zilla parishad members can spend up to ₹5 lakh, those contesting to become members of panchayat samitis and sarpanch of gram panchayat can spend and ₹2 lakh. Similarly, zilla parishad member candidates can use 5 jeeps or cars and 10 bikes during campaigning while panchayat samiti member candidates are allowed to use 2 jeeps or cars and 5 bikes. Sarpanch candidates have been permitted to use 2 jeeps or cars and 5 bikes.
However, the zilla parishad member candidates will have to submit details of the vehicles to the sub-collectors whereas panchayat samiti member and sarpanch candidates can submit the details to block development officers.
The SEC office said voting for the three-tier panchayat poll will be held between 7 am and 1 pm at each polling station instead of the previous time of 7 am - 12 pm.
During the all-party meeting on November 6, the political parties urged the State Election Commissioner to increase the duration of the polling period.
Early this month, political parties in Odisha appealed to the State Election Commission to shut down all liquor shops in the areas where polling is scheduled at least 7 days before the commencement of elections among other demands.
Elections are due to be held in February for the posts of 6,800 sarpanch and panchayat samiti members, 92,000 ward members, 853 zilla parishad members and 314 panchayat samiti chairperson posts. The 2022 panchayat polls would be crucial for the BJP as it would show whether the party’s popularity has gone up after its stunning success in 2017 polls when it registered 9 times rise in its zilla parishad members.
