BHubaneswar: BJP opposition and Congress on Saturday demanded a complete ban on sales of seven days before the Pancayat poll was scheduled for early next year.
During the meeting of all parties organized by the State Election Commission (SEC) to discuss various problems related to rural polls, all parties unanimously caused problems to increase the limit of candidate expenditure during the poll and to allow the use of more vehicles.
The leader of the BJP Sankarsan Parida said the parties demanded that the poll panel must ensure a complete ban on the sale of liquor seven days before the poll.
Said that the sale of liquor created obstacles about free and fair elections, Congress leader Ganeswar Behera also demanded a ban on sales of liquor at least three days before the election.
At present, the sale of liquor has been limited to Eve and election day in the poll area.
The two parties also demanded to increase the maximum expenditure limit for Sarpanch and Samiti members from Rs 80,000 to Rs 1,60,000 and from Rs 2 Lakh to RS 5 Lakh for Zilla Parishad members.
Senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra, who represents the party at the All-Party Meeting, said all parties unanimously demanded to increase the maximum expenditure limit during the Pancrayat poll.
As the process of revising the selection roll for rural polls will begin immediately, the poll panel also looks for cooperation from political parties to prepare the selection of errors.
The Commissioner of the State Election Aditya Padhi said the Poll Panel will immediately issue a detailed program for the process of revising the selection roll, a process that will take at least 45 to 60 days.
For the first time in Pancayat polls, there will be a voter (EPIC) photo identity ID in election with the aim of ensuring the preparation of error-free selection scrolls, Padhi said.
Prohibition of sales of liquor a week before rural elections: opposition
