[Watch] Odisha SEC Holds High-Level Meet On Panchayat Polls

Bhubaneswar: State Election Commissioner Aditya Padhi on Saturday held a meeting with top officials of the state government on preparation for panchayat elections in light of prevailing COVID situation.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Padhi said the meeting was held in two rounds with chief secretary, DGP, senior officials of the State Election Commission (SEC) and the state government.

In the first round, the discussion focused on enforcement of COVID guidelines at every stage of panchayat elections. The officials discussed how to enforce the guidelines during filing of nominations, scrutiny, campaigning, polling and counting and at dispersal centres.

Padhi said the opinions of district collectors and SPs were also sought on the issue. They were asked to submit their masterplans in each district to SEC.

The SEC will issue a set of guidelines on enforcing the COVID norms during the elections on the basis of the discussion held on the day, Padhi said.

SEC Review Meeting For Peaceful & Smooth Conduct Of Panchayat Polls – YouTube

The second round of meeting was held with DGP and ADG (Law & Order) with inputs from the collectors, SPS, range IG, range DIG.

The Commissioner hoped that the district officials will focus on election process in the light of COVID norms as the process of filing the nomination papers will start from January 17.

DGP Sunil Bansal told the media that since it was for the first time that election was being conducted in the state during COVID pandemic, it posed a unique challenge  for the police administration.

Stating that the collectors and SPS spoke about practical difficulties faced by the officials at the ground level, the DGP said some steps have already been taken on enforcing the COVID guidelines.