Bhubaneswar: With the issuance of notifications by Election Commission and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Odisha, process for filing of nominations for second phase simultaneous elections to Odisha Assembly and Lok Sabha began today.
The ECI, CEO and Chief Secretary have issued notifications for elections to five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly segments today.
In this phase, Bargarh, Sundargarh (ST), Bolangir, Kandhamal and Aska Lok Sabha constituencies along with 35 MLA seat under the LS segments will go for poll on May 20.
“As recommended by the Election Commission of India, in pursuance of sub-section (2) of Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951), the Governor of the State of Odisha is, hereby, pleased to call upon each of the Assembly Constituencies of the State of Odisha specified in the Table below to elect members to the Legislative Assembly of the State, in accordance with the provisions of the said Act and of the rules and orders made thereunder,” the Chief Secretary said in a notification.
As per the notifications, May 3 is the last date for making nominations while scrutiny of nominations will be done on the next day. Candidates can withdraw their nominations on or before May 6.
The Election Commission has fixed the schedule for polling in the 35 Assembly constituencies that come under the five MP segments. The usual voting timing is 7 Am to 6 PM. However, it has been revised for some areas keeping security and other points in view, sources said.
The polling in Padampur, Bonai, Kantamal, and Boudh along with some parts of Patnagarh, Kantabanji, Baliguda, Udayagiri, and Phulbani Assembly segments will be held from 7 AM to 4PM.
Voting in some booths of Patnagarh, Kantabanji, Baliguda, Udayagiri, and Phulbani and all booths of -Daspalla MLA segments will be held from 7 AM to 5 PM.
In the first phase of elections, 39 candidates have filed nomination papers for four Lok Sabha seats, and 266 candidates have submitted nomination papers for 28 Assembly seats in the State, which will go for the polls on May 13.
State Chief Electoral (CEO) office sources today said a maximum of 13 candidates had filed the nomination papers for the Koraput (ST) Lok Sabha seat, followed by eleven each in Kalahandi and Berhampur, and four for the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seat. Similarly, 266 candidates have filed nomination papers for 28 Assembly seats falling under the four Parliamentary constituencies going for polling on May 13 next.
A maximum number of 20 candidates have filed nomination papers for the Berhampur Assembly seat, followed by 14 each in Digapahandi and Nuapada Assembly seats. Out of 28 Assembly seats, more than ten candidates have filed nomination papers in 15 Assembly seats, while the remaining 13 Assembly seats have less than ten candidates who filed the papers.
In Jhargram and Dabugam Assembly seats, only three candidates have filed the nomination papers for both the seats.
The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be taken up on Friday, while April 29 is slated for the last date for withdrawal of nomination.
CEO office sources said while 39 candidates have filed 75 sets of nomination papers for the four Lok Sabha seats, 266 candidates have submitted 483 nomination papers for 28 Assembly seats in the state.
