In the three-tier panchayat polls in the State, 28,920 Member village panchayat and 1007 Pradhans have been elected unopposed. The panchayat elections in all the districts of State barring Haridwar are being held in three stages, the first stage ended on June 18 and second and third stage would be held onJune 21 and 24.
The data released by the State Election Commission (SEC) said that out of 7,657 posts of Pradhans 1,007 have been elected unopposed. Similarly out of 46,337 posts of Member Village Panchayat 28,920 are elected unopposed after the scrutiny and withdrawal of nomination papers. In sharp contrast from the village level Panchayat positions the block and district level positions are witnessing keen contest as less number of positions are elected unopposed. In the Member Block Panchayat out of total 3,054 positions in the state only 169 have been elected unopposed while out of total 389 District Panchayat members in the state only three candidates were elected unopposed.
The campaigning for the second stage of elections ended on Thursday. On Saturday, voters belonging to 31 blocks of 12 districts would elect their representatives. The SEC has set up 2848 polling stations and 3487 polling booths for the second stage of polling on Saturday.
The campaign for these polls however is witnessing many violation of model code of conduct. The candidates are openly spending on parties and booze to woo the rural electorate in their favour.
The cheap but illegal liquor from the states like Haryana and Punjab is freely available in the villages. The State election Commission (SEC) has appointed observers in all the blocks in the state but open violation of election code are being reported. The use of plastics is banned for making banners and election campaign materials but one can see use of plastics everywhere the countryside. During the first phase of the polls the agents of the candidates were seen sitting just outside the polling stations in gross violations of code which prohibits such activities in 100 meter periphery of the polling stations.