PATNA: The State Election Commission (SEC) has decided to initiate the process of physical verification of identified polling booths after floodwaters recede in the panchayats going to polls later this year.
“We are in the process of issuing directives to the districts to start physical verification of polling booths under their jurisdiction after floodwaters start receding,” a senior SEC official said on Friday.
Around 1.20 lakh polling booths were earlier identified for the panchayat polls to fill 2.58 lakh posts in three-tier panchayati raj institutions in the state.
The elections scheduled to be held in March-April were put to hold apparently due to inordinate delay in finalising the deal related to use of EVMs in the panchayat polls and second wave of conoravirus that hit the state adversely.
“As monsoon entered the state on time this year, we had no option but to defer the election.
If things move on the expected lines, the process of election will start in September-October,” another SEC official told this newspaper.
Around 30 districts are affected by floods every year.
Sources said more than 300 panchayats in those districts remained submerged with floodwaters for a long time, making the task difficult for the officials to hold elections.
Meanwhile, the state panchayati raj department has sent a proposal to the SEC, requesting it to allow the candidates to contest the panchayat election only after vaccination.
Panchayati raj minister Samrat Choudhary said, “We have urged the SEC to make vaccination mandatory for the contestants.
A guideline should be issued by the commission before the next panchayat polls.” As the tenure of panchayat members expired on June 16, the state government has set up panchayat consultative committees to look after the development works.
The committees will monitor the works undertaken by panchayats in the state till new members are elected.