The State Election Commission (SEC) is all set to start the election process to the left out Urban local Bodies (UlBs) spread over nine districts in western Odisha during the second week of October and end it by November irrespective of the State Government’s report on its preparedness.
If the State Government’s report on its preparedness for the polls in western Odisha did not reach early, the SEC as per the Constitutional authority vested on it, would go ahead to initiate the process to hold polls in the left out UlBs in western Odisha in the second week of this month.
The election process should be completed in these UlBs by end of November next, State Election Commissioner Ajit Tripathy said. Tripathy hinted that since the State Government had already in principle decided to accord corporation status to Sambalpur and Rourkela municipalities, the SEC would like to exclude the proposed corporation area while deciding to undertake poll process. Notably, the polls in the 25 UlBs could not be held on September 19 last due to the agitation by lawyers in western Odisha demandingnpermanent High Court bench in their region.
They were supported by political parties of all hues besides a host of organizations. Since the 43-day prolonged strike had been called off after the State Government wrote to the Centre recommending setting up of a permanent bench of the High Court in the region, the SEC in a letter to Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra last week had asked the State Government about its preparedness for the polls in western Odisha.
The Housing and Urban Development department had also asked the Collectors of nine districts to assess the situation in their districts and inform the department whether polls can be held or not.