Of the 99 nominations were filed by candidates for polls in the Rayagada Municipality, one was cancelled after verification as one Niranjan Prasad Buxipatro had filed two nominations as a BJD candidate for ward (3). As many as 24 wards of the civic body are going to polls, said Election Officer-cum-Sub-Collector Pramod Kumar Mishra.
Meanwhile, Mihir Chand Mallick, as Government’s Election Observer, went around all the booths in the town and appraised the situation to Collector Dr SB Padhi and SP Rajesh Pandit.
All the candidates have started campaigning in their respective wards. As this time there is 50 per cent reservation for women, no party seems to have been able to field suitable candidates.
Sivaji Das, who is contesting from ward (14) complained before the Election Officer that the BJD candidates from ward numbers 5, 7, 12 and 15 cannot read or write Odia, Hindi or English. He claimed that their nominations should be cancelled. Besides, he complained against BJD candidate Palakonda Prakash from ward number 14 that a false affidavit has been filed by Prakash regarding his loan clearance in banks. According to Das, Prakash is still indebted to SBI-ADB, Rayagada to the tune of Rs 69,390 since 2007. The Election Officer has advised Das to seek help of court of law in this regard.