Two Separate EVMs To Be Used For Election To ULBs, Says Odisha SEC

Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Thursday said electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used for the elections to urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state this time.

Speaking to media persons after an all-party meeting, here, state election commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi said two separate EVMs will be used during the election to municipalities, NACs and municipal corporations in the state.

While one EVM will be used in the polling booths for casting votes to the posts of councillors and corporators, another will be for mayor and chairperson posts, he added.

He further said the Urban Development department has already submitted the list of delimitation and reservation of seats to the SEC and correction and revision of electoral rolls is continuing.

The final draft of the updated electoral rolls of 110 civic bodies including 107 municipalities and NACs and three corporations will be published today.

The SEC said issues like direct election to the posts of mayors and chairpersons of the three municipal corporations, use of EVMs and changes in the affidavits to be filed by the candidates were discussed at the meeting. The suggestions submitted by the political parties would be taken into account by the SEC while conducting the elections, he added.

The candidates will have to file affidavits on their properties list, educational qualification and criminal case against them. If any candidate would be found submitting false information in the affidavit, his candidature will be cancelled, he said.

On the minimum age of the voters, he said the SEC has finalised the list on the basis of the electoral rolls published the Election Commission of India (ECI) on January 1, 2022. As per the ECI roll, those, who have completed 18 years by January 1, 2022, are eligible to exercise the franchise. The SEC has decided not to make any further changes in this regard, he added.