By-elections for the vacant posts of the three-tier village panchayat bodies will be held on June 17. With the by-poll schedule being announced, the model code of conduct will be in force from June 5 to June 19 (till counting of votes). According to the by-poll schedule, candidates may submit their nomination papers from 10 am to 5 pm on June 6, while scrutiny will be done on June 8, said the district election officials, Champawat.
Subsequently, candidates may withdraw from the fray till 1 pm on June 9, while election symbols will be allotted to the candidates on June 10, further said the officials. Polling will be held from 8 am to 5 pm on June 17 and the counting would be done June 19, added the officials. The panchayat posts in lohaghat block's Pulla, Selpedu, Thanta, Mangoli, Chhatoli, Koat and Bandeladhek villages are reserved for women candidates from Schedule Caste(SC) section of the society, while the same in Madhuwa village panchayat under the same block is reserved for SC.
However, the posts in the same lohaghat block's Majhera, Baskuni and Chiriyadhunga village panchayats are unreserved. Similarly, the post in Paati block's Kamlekh is unreserved, while that of the Timlagoonth village panchayat under the same block is reserved for women candidate from SC. The seat of Champawat block's Poth village panchayat is reserved for women candidate from the backward class.
To ensure peaceful by-polls, the district election office, Champawat has appointed assistant block development officers (ABDOs), K S Vohara, B S Bhakuni and B S Mewari from Champawat district administration as election officers respectively for Champawat, lohaghat and Paati blocks. Similarly, assistant social welfare officers (ASWOs) G S Rana, M D Bhatt and B S Gasiyal have been appointed assistant election officers to look after panchayat by-polls in Champawat, lohaghat and Paati blocks, respectively.