BHUBANESWAR: the State Election Commission (SEC) on Friday announced elections to 106 urban local bodies (ULBs) and three municipal corporations on March 24. Counting of votes will be held on March 26.
Announcing the poll schedule, State Election Commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi told mediapersons that the model code of conduct will be in force in urban areas going to polls from February 25 to March 26. This is for the first time that elections to the posts of mayor in municipal corporations and chairpersons of municipalities and notified area councils (NACs) will be held directly.
The SEC said that 106 ULBs include 47 municipalities and 49 NACs. He said that elections will be held in 3030 booths of 1731 wards in the 106 ULBs with over 27 lakh voters. The three municipal corporations will have a total of 168 wards and 1,407 booths. These include 67 wards and 705 booths in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), 59 wards and 452 booths in Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC), and 42 wards and 250 booths in Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC).
The Commission also announced that there will be a NOTA option in the ULB elections for the first time. While notification for the polls will be issued on February 28, filing of nomination papers will be allowed from March 2 to March 7.
Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on March 9. The SEC said the withdrawal of nomination papers will be allowed up to March 14.
Padhi said that the election to the posts of deputy mayor in municipal corporations and vice-chairpersons in ULBs will be held on April 8 and April 7 respectively.