3-phase Panchayat polls in Uttarakhand in March              

Dehradun, Dec 30:

in

will be held in three phases beginning March 8, State Election Commissioner Subardhan announced today.

Elections to Panchayat bodies in the hill state will be held in three phases -- March 8, 11 and 14, he told reporters here. Counting will take place on March 20 after the Holi festival and all results will be out by March 23.

Nominations will begin on February 17 and the last date for filing papers is February 20, Subardhan said. February 26 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations, he said. The revision of voters' list is underway and the date for final publication of updated electoral rolls is February 8, Subardhan said.

Those who will turn 18 on January 1 next year will be included in the voters' list, he said. The elections will be held through casting of ballots and not through EVMs, the State Election Commissioner said. Earlier this month, the Uttarakhand High Court had asked the State Election Commission to expedite the process of holding polls to Panchayat bodies in the state.

PTI