A total of 58,28,446 voters would exercise their franchise on Monday in the first of the five-phase three-tier panchayat elections in the State.
State Election Commission (SEC) Secretary Rabindranath Sahu said here on Saturday, “Elections will be conducted in 29 districts on February 13. While 58,28,446 voters will exercise their franchise on the day with polling being held for 189 Zilla Parishad (ZP) zones, 1,506 gram panchayats (GPs) and 20,369 wards.” Out of the total 30 districts, polling would be held in Deogarh in the second phase.
He further said district Collectors have been directed to make necessary arrangements for installation of CCTV cameras and videography in the sensitive booths, if required. Polling would begin at 7 am and go on till 12 noon. Results would be declared at 1 pm on the same day. Campaigning for the first-phase elections came to an end at 7 pm on Saturday.
“Besides, the leaders, who are not the voters and presently staying in the area where the elections will be held on February 13, will have to leave the areas by Saturday evening,” Sahu said. The elections are scheduled to be held in five phases across the State on February 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21. Sahu reminded that sale of liquor in any respect, both foreign made brands and country made, would be banned 48 hours before the polling dates and even after 24 hours after the polling.