Bhubaneswar: State Home (Elections) Department has issued official gazette notifications for conduct of first phase of elections to four Lok Sabha seats and 28 Assembly seats on May 13.
By the order of Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena has issued the notification while Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal has re-published the notifications issued by Election Commission of India (ECI) and Ministry of Law and Justice Legislative Department today.
“In accordance with the provisions of clause (1) of Article 172 of the Constitution of India, the existing Legislative Assembly of the State of Odisha, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue up to and including the 24th June, 2024 and shall, thereafter, stand dissolved on the expiration of its duration,” read the notification issued for State Assembly Polls.
In terms of sub-section (1) of Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951), a General Election has to be held for the purpose of constituting a new Legislative Assembly of the State of Odisha, it said.
Now therefore, as recommended by the ECI, 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 (first phase seats) 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, read the notification.
In this phase, polling will be held in four Lok Sabha constituencies that is Kalahandi, Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur and 28 assembly seats come under these MP segments.
The candidates can submit their nomination till 25 April 2024. The nomination papers will be verified on 26 April. 29 April will be the last day for withdrawal of the nomination form. Voting will be held on May 13 in the first phase, as per the notification.
The ECI has set different timing for elections to various Assembly segments. The polling timing for Lanjigarh, Mohana, Pottangi, Laxmipur, some booths in Nabarangpur, Narla, Umerkote and Jharigam will be held from 7 AM to 4 PM while the polling will be conducted from 7AM to 5PM in Nuapada, Khariar, Junagarh, Dharamgarh, Bhawanipatna, Gunupur, Bissam Cuttack, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Chitrakonda Assembly segment.In other Assembly constituencies, the voting will be conducted from 7AM to 6PM, usual timing.