Voting for the first stage of the three-tier panchayat elections in all the districts of the Uttarakhand barring Haridwar would be held on Wednesday. A total of 13,93,758 voters belonging to 28 blocks of 12 districts would exercise their franchise in the first stage of the polls.
The Deputy Secretary of the State Election Commission, B D Pandey said that all arrangements for free and fair panchayat polls have been made. The State Election Commission has set up 2,697 polling stations and 3,452 polling booths for the first stage of the panchayat elections. In the first stage 6,84,149 female and 7,09,607 male voters of 2,471 village panchayats falling under 28 blocks would elect Member Village Panchayat, Pradhan village Panchayat, member Block Panchayat and Member District Panchayats.
Salt, Siyaldeh and Bhikiasain blocks in Almora and Chakrata and Viskasnagar blocks of Dehradun would go to polls on Wednesday. Similarly Bhilangana, Jakhnidhar and Chamba blocks of Tehri and Okhalkanda, Ramgarh and Dhari blocks of Nainital would elect their panchayat representatives in the first stage. The Khatima and Sitarganj blocks in US Nagar, Pati block in Champawat, Gangolihat and Berinag blocks of Pithoragarh, Bageshwar block of Bageshwar, Mori and Purola blocks of Uttarkashi, Narayanbaggar, Tharali and Deval Blocks of Chamoli, Ukhimath block of Rudraprayag and Nainidanada, Beeronkhal, Rikhnikhal, Pokhra and Thalisain blocks of Pauri Garhwal district would also go for polls on Wednesday.
In the panchayat elections in the State 22,114 candidates for Pradhans, 11,303 candidates for Member village Panchayat are left in the fray after the scrutiny and withdrawal of names. Similarly 11904 candidates for Member block Panchayat and 2315 candidates for Member district Panchayat are left in the electoral battle.
The panchayat elections are being held in the backdrop of many hiccups. The polls were slated in September last year but the State Government on the plea of disaster postponed these elections for a period of six months and appointed administrators in the panchayat bodies. In March the matter went to the courts and the elections were further postponed. The Supreme Court however asked the State Government to file an affidavit and ensured that these polls are held now.