Bhubaneswar, Jan 25 : A fresh notification will be issued on January 27 next to give a second chance to file nomination where no candidates have filed the nomination for the three tier panchayat elections in Odisha,State Election Commission office sources said on Tuesday.
Odisha state Election Commissioner A P Padhi said second chance will also be given where the nomination papers of all candidates have been rejected during scrutiny. On January 23, 8,648 nomination papers submitted by candidates for election to various positions were rejected which included 5544 Ward Member candidates, 1753 Sarpanch candidates, 1119 Panchayat Samiti Member candidates, and 232 Zilla Parishad Member candidates. Padhi said for the posts of ward members , Sarpanchas Panchayat Samiti members and Zilla Parishad members candidates can file their nominations from January 29 to 31.
The scrutiny will be done on February 1 and the list of eligible candidates will be published on February 2. Withdrawal of candidature will be allowed on February 4 and on the same day the final list of candidates will be published. The date of polling, counting and declaration of results will be done as announced earlier. As per the notification issued earlier January 25 was the last date for withdrawal and the elections to be held in five phases on February 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24.
Counting of votes and declaration of results will be done from February 26 to 28 next. The SEC said though January 30 is a public holiday the Office of the Election Officers will remain open and nomination papers will be filed. Padhi said if no candidates file their nomination even after the second notification then the Sub Collector concern will nominate for the vacant posts of ward members, Sarpanch .
The Panchayatiraj Department on behalf of the government will nominate candidates for the posts of Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad members. Sources said no candidates have filed nominations for the posts of 4,000 ward member, six Sarpancha and seven Samiti members.
