Monsoon Delays Odisha's Panchayat Polls
Odisha's State Election Commission has postponed the upcoming panchayat bypolls due to the expected early onset of the monsoon. Originally scheduled for May 22 and June 25, the elections will now take place after the monsoon season concludes to prevent disruptions and voter inconvenience.
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The State Election Commission in Odisha has postponed the bypolls for several three-tier panchayat institutions, originally set for May 22, due to the anticipated early onset of monsoon in the region, an official confirmed Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Commission announced elections for 1,043 vacant ward seats, 43 sarpanch positions, 40 panchayat samiti slots, and 5 zilla parishad seats. However, upon reviewing feedback from district officials and the public, the decision was made to delay the elections to avoid monsoon-related disruptions and voting inconvenience.
The Commission, acting on a report from the India Meteorological Department, noted that the southwest monsoon could reach Kerala sooner than expected. Conditions for the monsoon's onset are becoming favorable in the Bay of Bengal, prompting the election body to revise the poll schedule after the monsoon season.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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