Bhubaneswar: A total of 61 candidates, including those who had filed their nomination papers for three wards in Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) and for 58 wards of other Municipalities/NACs, have won unopposed, informed State Election Commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi on Monday.
No nominations have been filed for one ward each in Pattamundai Municipality in Kendrapara, Kamakhyanagar NAC in Dhenkanal, and Purusottampur NAC in Ganjam. As they are reserved seats, the Councillors will be nominated by the State Government, he added.
Padhi informed that 16 candidates are in the fray for the post of Mayor of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and for the post of Chairperson of Baripada Municipality. Like 18 candidates are contesting for the post of Chairperson of Jeypore Municipality.
In view of this, two ballot units will be used at the said places as the maximum limit of a ballot unit is 15.
As Mayor and Chairperson election will be held directly, two EVMs will be used in separate compartments at each booth. One for Councillor/Corporator and the other for Chairperson/Mayor.
The polling will be held from 8 AM to 5 PM on March 24 with the counting of votes will commence from 8 AM on March 26.
Around 22,000 polling personnel are to be engaged for the election. They will report at the respective booths by the evening of March 23.
A total of 195 platoons of police force will be deployed for the urban polls, including 30 for Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, 20 for Cuttack Municipal Corporation, and 10 for Berhampur Municipal Corporation.
Besides, 300 mobile parties are to be deployed out of which 109 will be engaged in the three Municipal Corporations. One constable, havildar, or armed police will be deployed at each booth, said Padhi.
