A total of 104 candidates filed their nomination papers for elections to the urban local bodies (UlBs) in western Odisha till Tuesday, while nobody filed nomination for 10 UlBs out of the total 22 bodies.
On the first day on Monday, total 69 candidates had filed their nomination papers in six districts out of total nine districts- Balangir, Bargarh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur and Sundargarh. As per the election schedule fixed by the State Election Commission (SEC), the scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on November 4 while elections are scheduled for November 22. Results will be declared on November 23.
Though the Central Action Committee of lawyers of the western Odisha have been demanding the setting up of High Court Bench in western Odisha and opposing the election with the slogans- ‘No court, No vote’, there was a sharp division in the Western Odisha on the issue of holding of election to the UlBs.
According to SEC sources, 42 nominations were filed for the election to Jharsuguda Municipality, while 21 candidates filed for Brajarajnagar Muncipality, two for Bhawaniatna and three for Baragarah Muncipality respectively. Similarly, 11 nominations have been filed for Junagarah NAC, 18 nominations filed for Rajgangpur and three for Kesinga, while Binika NAC, Tarabha NAC, Kuchinda and Biramitrapur NACs got one nomination papers each.
A total of 498 nomination papers, including 280 on the first day, have been sold till Tuesday, said the SEC sources.