Haryana Panchayat polls to be held in 3 phases next month

The much awaited elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions in Haryana will be held in three-phases next month.
"The first phase of polling would be held on October 4, second on October 11, and the third on October 18. The election process would be completed by October 31," State Election Commissioner, Rajeev Sharma told reporters in Panchkula, near here, today.
The Model Code of Conduct has come into force in the areas where elections would be conducted, he said, adding that the ballots would be cast from 7am to 5pm.
On holding of elections in three phases, Leader of Opposition and INLD senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala hit out at the BJP government in the state, saying "even the Vidhan Sabha polls are held in single phase, then what is the need to make these polls multi-phased. The Khattar government has been rejected by the people, which is why they first delayed holding of these polls and are now conducting them in phases".

Chautala also dared the ruling BJP to fight the Panchayati polls on their party symbol, saying the INLD will follow suit.
"But we know the BJP will not be able to find candidates for 80 per cent of the seats they contest," he said.
The Haryana Assembly yesterday passed a Bill, fixing the minimum educational qualification for elections to the Panchayati Raj institutions besides laying down other conditions including making it mandatory for the candidates to have functional toilets.
"We have said fixing qualification criteria will not benefit people of Haryana as this should not have been suddenly introduced and the public should have been given atleast five years time to mentally prepare themselves for the change," Chautala said.