BHUBANESWAR: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Saturday put panchayat polls in Chitrakonda block of Malkangiri district on hold because of the looming threat of Maoists. There will be no elections as scheduled in 18 gram panchayats and two Zilla Parishad zones of the block.
The SEC decided to hold up the panchayat polls on the basis of the joint report submitted by Malkangiri Collector and SP. “After receiving the joint report from the Collector and SP, the SEC decided to put on hold polls in the block,” a release from the Commission stated.
The joint report recommended that elections to Chitrakonda-1 and Chitrakonda-II Zilla Parishad seats should be postponed taking into consideration safety of the candidates, voters and officials engaged in poll duty.
The SEC maintained that in panchayats of the block where more than one nominees have filed nomination papers for the posts of panchayat samiti member, sarpanch and ward member, election will be held later as per the final list of candidates.
Where there is one candidate for the posts of panchayat samiti member, sarpanch and ward member, the list of those who have won election uncontested will be published later. However, in places where no candidates have filed nomination papers for these posts, the poll process has been cancelled, the release said.
There was constant threat from the Maoists to the locals not to participate in the poll process and five election officials and a village chief were abducted from the cut-off area in Maoist-hit Malkangiri district on January 13.
Following Maoist threats, Sabitri Khemudu was the lone candidate who had filed nomination for samiti member post in Gajalmamudi panchayat. She withdrew her nomination paper on the day.