Fresh Schedule Announced For Bypoll To Block Chairman Post In Odisha’s Digapahandi; Voting On Oct 4

Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) of Odisha on Monday announced fresh schedule for holding of by-election to the post of Chairman of Digapahandi Panchayat Samiti in Ganjam district, over a fortnight after the poll was deferred amid fear of law and order situation.

The SEC ordered holding of bypoll stating that the Collector and District Magistrate of Ganjam has intimated that the law and order situation in Digapahandi block is normal and peaceful.

As per the fresh scheduled announced by the SEC, the voting for the post would be held on October 4, if necessary.

Notice for the by-election will be issued by the Election Officer on September 26, while nomination forms would be issued and presented on October 4 between 10 am and 11 am.

Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held from 11 am to 11.30 am the same day, while withdrawal of candidature can be done before 12 noon and voting, if necessary, will be held between 12.30 pm and 2 pm, the SEC said.

Counting of votes and declaration of result will be done after the poll is over, it added.

It may be recalled that two factions of the ruling BJD had allegedly locked horns and their supporters attempted to barge into the block office following the cancellation of byelection to Digapahandi block chairman post recently.

The voting was cancelled at the last minute after the SEC deferred the byelection following a letter from the Ganjam collector, apprehending law and order situation.

Following the death of block chairperson Sunita Sethi two months back, the two factions were eyeing the coveted post.