The State Election Commission (SEC) on Monday asked the District Magistrates to ensure that the ongoing campaigning for urban polls in the State ends at 5 pm of March 22.
After receiving queries from different districts, SEC Secretary RN Sahu has clarified the District Magistrates about this in a letter.
As per Odisha Municipal Rules and Odisha Municipal Corporation Rules, “No person shall convene, hold or attend any public meeting in any polling area during the period of 48 hours preceding the hour fixed for the closure of the poll for any election in that polling area.”
This being the provision, the Commission therefore, directs that any public meetings and campaigning in any mode shall be stopped at 5 pm of March 22, positively, Sahu said.
The ULB election will be held on March 24 and the result will be declared on March 26.
Over 41 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in the poll. About 27 lakh voters, 3,030 booths and 1,731 wards are there in 106 Municipalities and NACs while there are 14.26 lakh voters, 168 wards and 1,407 booths in three Corporations of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Brahmapur.