The Phailin has had its impact on holding of elections to the urban local bodies (UlBs) too. While the date of election for the post of Deputy Mayor in the newly constituted Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BMC) and to the posts of vice-chairpersons in the 17 NACs of the worst-hit Ganjam district has been rescheduled by the State Election Commission (SEC), uncertainty looms large over the election to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation before December.
The State Election Commissioner Ajit Kumar Tripathy on Saturday said that considering the large-scale devastation caused due to the cyclone in Ganjam district and the report of District Collector it was decided to postpone the election date to November 5 instead of October 22.
The Collector had reported that elections be put off as the officials as well as the elected representatives were engaged in relief, restoration and rehabilitation work.
Tripathy said a notification has already been issued regarding this. However, he clarified that there is no change in the date of elections to the NACs and municipalities in other districts.
The tenure of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation was to expire in December. Though the elections are to be completed by the first week of December, it is unlikely as the process of revision of the draft electoral roll had been affected due to the cyclone, Tripathy said.
The SEC would take appropriate decision after due consultation with the State Government on the next possible dates for elections to the BMC, he added.