Bhubaneswar, Feb 16: The death of 23 candidates contesting for the posts of Ward Member, Sarpanch, Panchayat Samiti Member, and Zilla Parishad Member led to the countermanding of election to respective posts in the first phase of the panchayat polls in Odisha.
As informed by the State Election Commission, the election was countermanded for 13 Ward Member posts, six Sarpanch posts, three Panchayat Samiti Member posts, and one Zilla Parishad Member posts.
Out of the deceased Ward Member candidates, one each is from Angul, Bargarh, Ganjam, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Nayagarh, and Nuapada, and two each are from Balangir, Jagatsinghpur, and Mayurbhanj.
Out of the deceased Sarpanch candidates, one each is from Balasore, Cuttack, Jajpur, and Nabarangpur, and two from Bargarh.
While two deceased Samiti Member candidates are from Angul, Balasore, and Nuapada, one deceased Zilla Parishad Member candidate is from Keonjhar.
Notably in a tragic incident, a Sarpanch candidate from Gobindpur Panchayat in Bargarh died today hours before the commencement of the first phase of the three-tier Panchayat Polls in Odisha.
