Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) will consider the new Omicron situation before deciding the date of the Pancrayat election is planned to be planned in February.
“The commission has maintained a close watch on the changing pandemic situation.
There will be the right deliberation when it comes according to the guideline,” Secretary Secretary Secretary Rabindra Nath Sahu.
Official sources said the SEC had oversee the Indian Election Commission (ECI), which held a meeting with Union Secretary of Union Rajesh Bhushan on Monday, regarding the election of assembly in five countries.
Moving SEC on rural polls will be influenced by ECI’s decision on assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab due early next year, the source said here.
“If ECI delays the assembly poll, the SEC will delay local elections.
Similarly, there will be various restrictions to check Covid every time the poll is held to prevent the spread of the virus,” said the source.
After the state government completed the re-construction of seat reservations on January 7, as stated by the government to the Orissa High Court recently, the SEC would consider all aspects before deciding on the date.
Although pre-omicron, the commission plans to hold three-level polls for Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zilla Parishads in mid-February, things will now depend on how the new virus variant behaves in the country, the sources said.
If the election is not held in February, which now looks uncertain, holding elections in five phases in March will be difficult because important annual examinations such as matriculation and class XII can be held in March.
Because the SEC has also held city elections in April, the entire schedule will then change, said the source.
While rural polls will mature in March, the selection of the city has matured in most ULB since December 2018 and in several others from July 2019.
Sec has prepared elections in 108 of 115 local bodies (ULB).