As many as 2,20,689 candidates, including 3,880 Zilla Parishad, 33,348 sarpanch, 27, 475 samiti member and nearly 1,56, 886, have filed nominations for the ensuing three-tier panchayat elections in the State, informed State Election Commission (SEC).
The filing of nomination papers which began on January 11 ended on Tuesday. The candidates can withdraw their nominations till January 21. The final list of candidates would be published on the same day.
Meanwhile, the State Election Commission (SEC) appointed 34 general observers and 32 expenditure observers to oversee the poll process across the State. While general observes would visit their respective districts from Wednesday, expenditure would visit the districts from January 22.
On the other hand, voters in Harirajpur gram panchayat in Delang block in Puri district and Daruthenga on the city outskirts have boycotted the polls.
While Harirajpur GP voters have boycotted the poll over the dispute on ownership of Jagannath Temple property, nomination papers were not filed in any category in Daruthenga panchayat protesting the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation’s slipshod attitude in shifting the dumping yard from their locality.
Election would be held in five phases in 852 Zilla Parishad Zones of 314 blocks between February 13 and 21.