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The stage is all set for the conduct of the election to 107 civic bodies, including three municipal corporations (Cuttack, Berhampur and Bhubaneswar) in Odisha with the publication of draft electoral roll, said State Election Commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi on Thursday.
Following a crucial all party-meeting today, Padhi said the candidates contesting for various posts in the upcoming civic body polls will have to mandatorily submit affidavits regarding their assets, educational qualification and criminal antecedents.
The candidature of those found to have given false information will be cancelled. According to Padhi, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used during the civic body polls in the State. Two EVMs will be used in every booth for voting. While one will be used to vote for councillor/corporator, the other one is meant for Mayor/Chairman election.
“Today the draft publication of electoral roll for 107 municipalities, NAC and 3 Municipal Corporations will be made and it has been apprised to all political parties. This time, there will be direct elections to the posts of Mayor and Chairperman. Some changes have also been brought in for the filing of affidavits by the candidates,” said Padhi.
Earlier, the State government had amended the Odisha Municipal Rules, paving way for the direct election for the posts of Mayors of municipal corporations and Chairmen of municipalities and NACs during the upcoming poll.
Every candidate will also have to submit details regarding the total expenditure incurred by them from nominations till the declaration of results.
The candidates contesting for Councillor or Corporator post in NACs/Municipalities having a population up to 50,000 can make a maximum expenditure of Rs 50,000 while the amount is fixed at Rs 2 lakh for chairperson or Mayor aspirants in the same area.
Similarly, the expenses have been fixed at Rs 75,000 for Councillor or Corporator in municipalities having a population between 50,000 to 1,00,000 while the amount is Rs 1 lakh in case the population is above 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh for municipal corporation.
The poll expenses is fixed at Rs 3 lakh, Rs 5 lakh and Rs 12 lakh for Chairperson and Mayor in municipalities having population between 50,000 and 1 lakh, above 1 lakh and in Municipal Corporation, respectively.
Senior Congress leader, Sibananda Ray said, “We have serious doubts on the impartiality of the State Election Commission which can be gauged from the fact that most of us (Opposition) were not in favour of the crucial meeting as all are busy with the Panchayat polls.”
BJP leader Dilip Mallick said, “We have demanded the simplification of agent appointment process so that officers who harass political parties and candidates on ground during the polls are put under check. Apart from this, we have proposed for obtaining various permissions through a single window system.”
Responding to Opposition allegations, BJD leader Sulata Deo said, “The Opposition had approached the Odisha Governor regarding the early conduct of the Urban Local Body elections. It shows that they are now in a state of panic.”
