Odisha Govt Sounds Official Bugle For Urban Polls; Dates Likely To Be Announced Soon

Bhubaneswar: With the one more phase to go for the Panchayat polls, the Odisha government on Wednesday expressed its readiness to conduct Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in the state by issuing notification for the same.

It has officially sounded the poll bugle to elect mayors and corporators in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack & Berhampur Municipal Corporations.

“The State Government do hereby call upon all wards in the city of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Cuttack Municipal Corporation and Berhampur Municipal Corporation to elect Mayors and Corporators,” the notification issued by Housing & Urban Development Department said.

Besides these 3 Municipal Corporations, 48 municipalities and 59 NACs will also go to the polls after almost eight years.

“The State Government do hereby call upon all the wards in the Municipal areas except ward No. 4 of Bhadrak Municipality to elect the Chairpersons and Councillors,” it added.

With this, the dates for the upcoming polls are likely to be announced soon. The urban areas had last voted in 2013-14.

And for the first time, the polls in all 107 ULBs (48 Municipalities, 59 NACs) and three Corporations will be held simultaneously and Mayor will be elected directly by the people. Therefore, there will be two EVMS at each polling booth. Also, None of the above (NOTA) option will be available for the first time in the elections.

Voters will exercise their franchise at a total of 4,584 polling booths in 1,931 Wards in the upcoming civic body polls, the State Election Commission sources said.

Of the 94 ULBs, which went to polls in 2013-14, BJD had won 70, Congress 15, BJP 2 and Independents 6.