Bhubaneswar: The fate of 726 Zilla Parishad candidates will be sealed by 67.51 lakh voters with the first phase of the three-tier Panchayat elections in Odisha, beginning Wednesday (February 16).
Polling will be held for 200 Zilla Parishad member posts in 1,669 Gram Panchayats under 71 blocks at 22,379 booths, of which 3,357 have been identified as sensitive.
People, whose names are included in the ward-wise voters’ list, will be allowed to cast their votes by producing the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) or any of the 13 other documents approved by the SEC.
THE 13 DOCUMENTS ARE:-
- Aadhaar Card
- Passport
- Driving Licence
- Service Identity Card with Photograph issued to employees by Central State Govemment, Public Sector Undertaking. Local Bodies Public Limited Companies.
- Pass Book with Photograph issued by Bank Post office.
- PAN CARD
- Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR
- MNRGA job card
- Pension document with Photograph
- Official Identity Cards issued to MPs, MLAS
- Certificate of Disability
- Freedom Fighter Identity Card
- Any other documentary evidence establishing the identity of the voters to the satisfaction of the Presiding Officer.
The SEC has also clarified that these documents, which is available for the head of the family can also be considered for the purpose of identification of other members of the household. An identification document in the name of one member of the family can also be considered for identification of any other member of the same family, provided they are enlisted in the same household of the voters’ list.
Polling for the other four phases will be held on February 18, 20, 22, 24. Over 2.79 crore people are eligible to exercise their franchise in these elections. The centralised counting of votes will take place on February 26, 27 and 28.
