Cuttack: A conference of District Collectors from 10 districts under the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC)-Central was held on Saturday at the RDC-Central conference hall to review preparations for the upcoming general elections to the three-tier Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
The meeting was organized by the State Election Commission and was attended by State Election Commissioner Madhusudan Padhi, who held detailed discussions on ensuring the preparation of transparent and error-free voter lists. Emphasizing the foundation of a fair electoral process, Padhi stressed the need for door-to-door voter verification, removal of names of deceased voters, and strict adherence to electoral guidelines by district administrations.
During the review, the State Election Commissioner highlighted several key aspects, including the present status and availability of ballot boxes, limiting the number of polling booths to a maximum of five at a single location, and relocating booths from overcrowded sites to suitable alternative locations. Other important issues discussed included ballot paper printing, identification of counting centers for both Panchayat and ULB elections, and the determination of urban council polling booths by Block Development Officers (BDOs) and election officers.
The conference was presided over by RDC (Central) Guha Punam Tapas Kumar, who advised district officials to conduct the 2027 Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections in a free, fair, transparent, and impartial manner.
Secretary to the State Election Commissioner, Santosh Das, presented various important election-related details through a PowerPoint presentation, providing clarity on procedural and logistical arrangements.
District Collectors from Cuttack, Khordha, Balasore, Puri, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh, and Jajpur districts participated in the conference. Additional District Collectors, Sub-Collectors, and other district-level officers associated with election duties were also present.
