PUDUCHERRY: After 15 years, elections to local bodies in Puducherry are going to be held in three phases from October 21 to October 28. The previous elections were held in 2006, the tenure of which ended in 2011.
Making the poll announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, State Election Commissioner Roy P Thomas said the elections are being held as per the directions of the Supreme Court. They will be conducted on October 21, October 25 and October 28. The counting will take place on October 31.
The elections would be conducted for 1149 posts that include five posts of chairperson of five municipalities and 116 councillors of municipal wards, 108 commune panchayat ward councilors, presidents of 108 village panchayats and 812 village panchayat ward members.
In the first phase, the elections for municipalities of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam along with the five commune panchayats in Karaikal region namely Kotucherry, Nedungadu, Neravy, Thirumalairayanpattinam and Thirunallar will be taken up. Puducherry and Oulgaret municipalities will go to the polls in the second phase and the five commune panchayats in Puducherry, Ariyankuppam, Bahour, Mannadipet, Nettapakkam and Villianur will be taken up in the third phase.
The filing of nominations for the three phases will begin from September 30 for the first phase, from October 4 for the second phase and from October 7 for the third phase.
The polling will be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm and the last one hour earmarked for COVID patients. EVMs will be used for the first time in conducting local body elections in the Union territory.
With the announcement, the model code of conduct comes into immediate effect.
A total of 1629 polling stations have been identified for conducting the polls, with 10,03,256 voters eligible to exercise their franchise. In order to restrict overcrowding as well as for facilitating COVID patients for filing nominations, the facility to file online nominations is being provided, said the SEC.