By Sandeep Sahu What a turn-around it has been! In five days flat, the BJD, which deluded itself – and persuaded many others to believe likewise – that it is destined to rule till eternity, has been yanked off the high pedestal it had perched itself on and brought down to the ground with a […]
Bhubaneswar: Mid way into the Panchayat elections in Odisha, the ruling BJD today called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “PM of BJP” and not of India. “Modi had mentioned BJP’s success in Odisha’s panchayat elections at an election rally at Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh yesterday. He was seeking votes from the people of UP […]
Jajpur:Jajpur District Election Officer-cum Collector Ranjan Kumar Das today suspended 57 government officials for not joining duty in the ensuing panchayat election. “The suspended officials include 22 presiding officers, 13 first polling officers, 21 second polling officers and lone third polling officer,” officials sources said. “These officials had been deployed to conduct both first and […]
Bhubaneswar: The ruling BJD today said it would review its poor performance in the ongoing three-tier panchayat election in some districts of Odisha, although its overall show was better than rivals. “We will certainly review the poor performance of the party in certain districts. Anyway, the BJD is still ahead of its rivals,” BJD vice-president […]
Bhubaneswar: Some say their own complacency befell them, others concede it as disease which needs immediate treatment; but as BJP’s bite into the Panchayat pie is getting deeper, BJD is noticeably feeling the pinch. BJP’s performance in the first two phases of the ongoing 3-tier as shown by the unofficial count has surprised one and […]
Bhubaneswar: Preparations are completed for the third phase Panchayat polls in Odisha beginning tomorrow in 30 districts. Briefing media persons here today, State Election Commission (SEC) secretary Rabindranath Sahu said a total of 53,234,993 people would exercise their franchise for the election of 1394 Panchayat Samiti members and 18,859 Ward Members in 175 Zilla Parishad […]
Bhubaneswar: In line with the trend observed in the results of the first phase of the 3-tier panchayat polls in State, BJP’s performance has made many to sit up and take notice as the saffron party went on to claim 56 Zilla Parishad (ZP) zones in 172 out of 174 zones which went for polling […]
By Sandeep Sahu Everyone knows it is a blatant lie, but no one really seems to mind. The lie that panchyat elections are ‘not fought on party basis’ has been perpetuated for far too and it is high time it was given a decent – and permanent – burial. Of course, there are other myths […]
Kendrapara: Kendrapara district administration has initiated disciplinary proceedings against 35 government employees on charge of skipping poll duty without notice. The accused employees today did not turn up for preparatory duty for the third-phase of panchayat polls on February 17. The departmental heads, under whom the errant employees are officiating, have been directed to place […]
Bhubaneswar: Barring stray incidents, the second phase of the three-tier panchayat polls concluded peacefully across Odisha on Wednesday with 73 per cent voter turnout. The first phase poll held on February 13, recorded 71 per cent turnout. “The state witnessed 73 per cent turnout in the second phase panchayat polls. While Dhenkanal district recorded the […]
Sambalpur: A Sarpanch candidate in fray for the three-tier panchayat elections, Mani Pradhan, 35, and his supporter, Sudheer Patel, 40, died in a road accident. The incident took place last night when Pradhan was returning from campaigning in a bike which hit a tree at village Patrapali under the Kuchinda police limit. He was contesting […]
Bhubaneswar: A delegation of Odisha BJP met the State Election Commission (SEC) today alleging that the ruling party used helicopter, meant for government work, for panchayat polls campaign. The BJP team alleged that a chopper, which was engaged in Chief Minister’s official duty, was found used by a BJD MP yesterday for campaigning. The saffron […]
Bhubaneswar: Acting on the reports of the district collectors on booth capturing and violence during the first phase Panchayat polls, the State Election Commission (SEC) today decided to conduct repolling in 62 wards of 11 districts. According to a release issued by the SEC this evening, repolling in 62 wards would be conducted in Balasore, […]
By Sandeep Sahu The ‘unofficial’ seat count in the first phase zilla parishad election given by television news channels on Monday evening varied widely. If Kalinga TV showed the BJD winning 120 out of the 188 zilla parishad zones that went to polls earlier in the day, News 7 gave the ruling party winning no […]
Bhubaneswar: Though Claiming 105 Zilla Parishad zones out of 188 is still a winning number for the BJD at the end of the first phase of the 3-tier Panchayat Polls, the ruling party would be less concerned about its own tally and more worried about BJP’s score. Even though the BJD has emerged as winner […]
Bhubaneswar: Citing that the collectors and SPs of various districts are acting as the general secretaries of the ruling BJD, the Odisha BJP today urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to ensure free and fair polls in the State. The saffron party demanded that the SEC should control the role of bureaucracy in elections by […]
Bhubaneswar: Following poll violence reports from different places across Odisha during the voting for the first phase panchayat polls, the State Election Commission (SEC) today announced fresh elections are likely to be held at some booths in different districts on basis of recommendations from Collectors. Talking to newsmen, SEC Secretary Rabindra Nath Sahu stated, “As […]
Bhubaneswar: After the end of the first phase panchayat polls in Odisha Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in his reaction to OTV said, “The trends of the first phase result reflects the resentment of the people of Odisha.” Pradhan said that it a victory of the people of Odisha, a fruit of […]
Jajpur: Though the first phase of panchayat elections in Jajpur district remained by and large peaceful, many voters who had voters’ identity cards were seen returning disappointed after not finding their names on the voters’ list. “I have exercised my franchise in every election for the last 25 years. I am surprised that my name […]
Bhubaneswar: With first phase three-tier panchayat polls ending today, 71 percent voters turned up to exercise franchise even as incidents of poll violence including looting of ballot boxes were reported at some places. “Elaborate arrangements were made for 58,28446 voters to exercise franchise for 189 Zilla Parishad zones,1506 gram panchayats and 20369 wards under 65 […]
Bhubaneswar: Voting for first phase of the five phases three-tier panchayat polls is going on in a seamless manner and more than 50% polling has been recorded till 11 am, said Secretary of the State Election Commission (SEC) Rabindra Nath Sahu today. Talking to newsmen, Sahu mentioned, “At some places, voters have boycotted the rural […]
Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) has made adequate security arrangements in 29 districts including the Maoist prone districts where the first phase Panchayat polls will begin tomorrow. Informing the media here this afternoon, SEC secretary Rabindranath Sahu said “Out of the 189 Zilla Parishad Zones in the Odisha Gram Panchayat elections, election for Zilla […]
Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) today said all arrangements have been made for the first phase polling of the three-tier panchayat elections in Odisha, scheduled to begin at 7 am tomorrow in 29 districts except Deogarh. Talking to the media persons here this afternoon, SEC secretary Rabindranath Sahu said polling will be held in […]
Bhubaneswar: With the first phase Panchayat elections in Odisha scheduled to kick off tomorrow morning, the State Election Commission (SEC) today briefed voting method to the new voters and those who have not fully understood the method of exercising their franchise. Talking to media persons here, SEC secretary Rabindranath Sahu said unlike the voting which […]
Bhubaneswar: The State BJP today alleged that there have been rampant irregularities in the voter list in Odisha by the government machinery. Talking to media persons here, BJP State vice president Samir Mohanty claimed that he has come to know about such irregularities during his recent tour to Balasore district. “I have arrived here today […]
Jajpur: At least 14 candidates in the fray for the Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections in Jajpur district have declared that they don’t have any property or bank deposit while four others in the fray are ‘crorepatis’. The 14 candidates contesting for the Jajpur Zilla Parishad election have declared that they don’t have any land, house, […]
Bhubaneswar: The high-pitched campaigning for the first phase of the three-tier panchayat elections in the state came to an end this evening with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his Chhattishgarh counterpart Raman Singh seeking votes for their respective party candidates. While Patnaik campaigned for BJD candidates in his home constituency of Hinjilicut in Ganjam district […]
Kendrapara: The State Election Commission (SEC) in Odisha has exempted Forest officials working in wildlife parks and sanctuaries of two districts from election duty in the forthcoming panchayat polls in the state as it would hamper the ongoing wildlife and turtle protection drive. SEC secretary Rabindranath Sahoo said the Forest official from wildlife parks and […]
Bhubaneswar: Talking note of the gross violation of model code of conduct enforced in Odisha for the ensuing panchayat polls scheduled to kick off on February 13, the State Election Commission (SEC) today directed the collector and SP of Jharsuguda district to take stern action against the persons from whom police had seized cash and […]
Bhubaneswar: For the upcoming three-tier panchayat polls in Odisha, the State Election Commission (SEC) has identified 8,491 booths as hyper-sensitive. Moreover, while polls are being conducted for 92,032 wards, 18,931 booths have been identified as sensitive. In Kandhamal district, maximum 1,076 booths are identified as hyper-sensitive, while Cuttack district has the most number of sensitive […]
Jharsuguda: With the Panchayat polls only four days away, police today seized Rs 12.30 lakh from the house of a worker of a political party in Kandheikela village. Talking to the media, Jharsuguda SP Uma Shankar Das said the police, acting on the allegation, raided the house of Debaraj Barik, worker of a political party […]
Bhubaneswar: In another glaring example of how the model code of conduct for Panchayat Polls is being blatantly violated, the State Election Commission (SEC) has initiated action against government officials on poll duty over allegations of their involvement in poll campaigning. In one such instance, the Pattamundai BDO was transferred for not being impartial while […]
Kendrapara: Highly qualified candidates like IIT graduates, post graduates, law graduates and retired government servants are in the fray for the three-tier panchayat polls in Kendrapara district this time. Though in the past, highly educated people kept away from rural polls, this time they have expressed their desire to fight the polls for development of […]
Bhubaneswar: Even though all the three major political parties are blaming each other for undertaking extravagant campaigning, one thing is clear that loopholes in the guidelines set by the State Election Commission (SEC) on poll expenditures are being blatantly exploited. Though the poll expenditure limits are applicable to the candidates, it is not applicable to […]
Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) today recommended Crime Branch probe into the murder of Salman Rout of Tarabha village under Sadar Police limits in Dhenkanal district on February 13 this year. The Commission has recommended the Home department for a Crime Branch probe into the case on the basis of the report of the […]
Dhenkanal/Bhubaneswar: Dhenkanal Police on Monday took Byamokesh Biswal, prime accused in the murder of Salman Rout of Tarabha village, on a two-day remand for interrogation. Informing this to the media persons at the district headquarters here, Dhenkanal SP Basant Kumar Panigrahi said on the basis of the complaint lodged by the opposite party for ransacking […]
Bhubaneswar: With the three-tier panchayat polls in Odisha scheduled to kick off on February 13, the State Election Commission (SEC) has countermanded elections to eight seats. The Commission has cancelled elections for the post of 4 ward members, 2 sarpanchs, 1 panchayat samiti member and one zilla parishad member following the death of the candidates. […]
Bhubaneswar: The employees working under the Odisha government, corporation and other aided institutions can avail three days leave to cast their votes in the three-tier panchayat elections which is being held in five different phases from February 13. The state govenrment has accepted a proposal in this regard given by the State Election Commission (SEC). […]
Bhubaneswar: A team of Odisha BJP led by vice president Sameer Mohanty met the Chief Electoral Officer here on Thursday and demanded action against Kendrapara MLA Kishore Chandra Tarai in connection with ‘false’ information furnished by the legislator in his poll affidavit. Citing that the affidavit filed by Tarai contains somebody else’s name, the party […]
By Sandeep Sahu It looks straight out of The Arabian Nights. Since l’affaire Penthapala burst on to the scene in panchayat poll-bound Odisha 10 days ago, each day has brought a fresh story, each more startling than the previous one. It has got to a stage where news on what is happening on the election […]
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