The State Election Commission (SEC) on Saturday decided to put panchayat polls on hold in the cutoff Maoist-dominated Chitrakonda block in Malkangiri district.
The decision was taken by the poll panel on the basis of a joint report received from the Malkangiri Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP).
According to sources, elections will not be held in 18 gram panchayats and two Zilla Parishad Zones in Chitrakonda block. The SEC would decide a fresh schedule only after receiving a positive joint report from the Collector and the SP.
Notably, on January 13, Maoists had abducted at least five election officials in the cutoff area. They, however, released them with a warning not to take part in the poll process.
Besides, the SEC announced fresh nomination dates for the places where no candidate filed papers or where all nominations were rejected. Fresh nominations can be filed in between January 27 and 30. However, there would be no change in the voting schedule. Nominations can be withdrawn on February 4 while scrutiny of nomination papers would be done on January 31, and the list of eligible candidates would be declared on February 2.
The final list of candidates was announced by the poll panel after the completion of withdrawal of candidatures on Saturday.