Ramakanta Biswas

News Highlights

  • The three-tier panchayat polls in Odisha are scheduled to be held in February 2022
  • Panchayat elections may get delayed in Odisha as the govt is yet to complete ward delimitation exercise and reservation of seats

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha on Saturday appointed senior observers for all 30 districts, apparently signalling its preparations for the three-tier panchayat polls in the State. The party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik appointed six party veterans as senior observers.

“In supersession of all previous orders, the following leaders of Biju Janata Dal are hereby appointed as Senior Observers for the districts as indicated against each,” party general secretary (media affairs) Manas R. Mangaraj said a release. The order comes into force with immediate effect.

Forest and environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukh has been appointed senior observer of five southern districts- Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Gajapati while Debi Prasad Mishra has been entrusted with six districts- Ganjam, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Khordha, Puri and Boudh.

State finance minister Niranjan Pujari named senior observer of four districts- Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bolangir and Bargarh while party vice-president and Khandapara MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik has been assigned the charge of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Deogarh, Angul and Dhenkanal.

Party Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya has been given charge of Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore. Maheswar Mohanty has been made senior observers of Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar.

Apart from senior observers, the party has also appointed district observers for all 30 districts.

It worth mentioning here that the three-tier panchayat polls are scheduled to be held in February 2022. The tenure of panchayat representatives will end on March 10, 2022. However, the polls are likely to be delayed as the State government is yet to complete the ward delimitation exercise and reservation of seats.

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