Bhubaneswar: The State government has instructed all district collectors to complete the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and women in various posts under the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in preparation for the upcoming general elections to rural local bodies, expected in 2027.
In a recent letter to the collectors, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Girish S.N. emphasised the need to finish the reservation exercise within the stipulated timeframe at both district and state levels, in accordance with the provisions of the PRI Acts and Rules.
The directive specifies clear deadlines: the final list of reserved seats for the posts of ward member, sarpanch, panchayat samiti member, and chairman must be completed by April 29, while reservations for zilla parishad members and presidents are to be finalised by April 30.
Collectors have been asked to ensure the entire process is wrapped up by the end of April.Speaking to the media, State Election Commissioner Madhusudan Padhi reiterated that it is the responsibility of the state government to reserve seats for the 2027 panchayat elections. He added that the polls will be conducted on the basis of the latest voters’ list prepared by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“The ECI has not yet finalised its updated electoral roll. Once we receive it, the State Election Commission will prepare ward-wise, panchayat-wise, and zilla parishad zone-wise voters’ lists,” Padhi said.
The move comes as the tenure of the current PRI bodies, elected in phases starting February 2022, is set to end in early 2027, with elections likely to be held in January-February 2027 as per the scheduled timeline. The government has ruled out any early polls or delimitation exercises before the completion of the five-year term.
