‘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

Published on: Nov 16, 2021, 24:12:24 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

Home/Cities/Others/‘Odisha Panchayat Polls Candidates Can Spend More’: State Election Commission