SEC notifies Panchayat election;Ceiling on poll expenses

Bhubaneswar, Dec 26 (UNI) The State Election Commission today notified that elections to the three-tier Panchayat Raj institutions in the state will be held in five phases from February 13 to 21.

State Election Commissioner Sanjeeb Chandra Hota told newspersons that with the notification of poll schedule, the code of conduct would be applicable from today all over the state till last date of polling.

Elections and counting for 87,542 ward members, 6234 Sarpanches, 6233 Panchayat samitee members and 854 Zilla Parishad members would be held on February 13, 15,17,19 and 21 as per the schedule fixed by the District Election Officer.

Mr Hota said for the first time, the SEC has imposed a ceiling on election expenditure as per the suggestion of the political parties adding that expenditure exceeding the ceiling would be treated as corrupt practice.

He said while a ceiling on expenditure for the Zilla Parishad member polls has been fixed at Rs 75,000, those contesting for the office of Sarpanch and Panchayat Samitee member would have to limit their election expenditure to Rs 30,000. The Ward members have been excluded from the ceiling on expenditure.

Candidates contesting the election would have to submit their elections expenditure within a month of the elections.

Mr Hota said all the contesting candidates for the office of Zilla Parishad member,Sarpanch and Panchayat samittee member have to furnish an affidavit as per the Supreme Court guidelines on the criminal antecedent, property asset and academic qualification.

In case of candidates contesting for the post of ward member, only a declaration on the above has to be submitted before the Election Officer, the SEC said.

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