Himachal panchayat polls to be held in 3 phases frm Jan 1

Himachal Pradesh Panchayat elections would be held in three phases on January 1, 3 and 5, barring Kangra and tribal Lahaul and Spiti districts, state Election Commissioner T G Negi said here today.
The elections would be held for 192 zila parishad members and 1,280 Panchayat samiti members, 2,436 Panchayat pradhan and Up-pradhans each and 1,5438 gram panchayat members with the first phase commencing on January 1, 2016.
The model code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the districts going to polls in first week of January 2016, Negi said.
The electoral official noted that the biggest Kangra district with 743 Panchayats has been excluded as sufficient number of ballot boxes was not available and the Commission did not borrow the same from other states, while Lahaul and Spiti would be snowbound during the winters and polling would be held in June next year.

The filing of nominations would be done on December 15, 16 and 17, scrutiny would take place on December 18, the last date of withdrawal of candidature would be December 21, the final list of candidates would be published the same day while the list of polling stations would be published by December 15, Negi informed.
Every voter would cast five votes to elect the Panchayat Pradhan, Up-Pradhan, Panchayat member, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad member from their respective Panchayats.

The counting of votes of Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad members would be taken up on January 7 at respective block headquarters while the counting of votes for Pradhan, Up-Pradhan and Panchayat members would be taken up after the close of the polling on January 8, 2016.

Meanwhile, the election to urban local bodies which are also due would not be held along with Panchayat polls, the official said. Thus, the urban bodies will also be exempted from the model code of conduct.
The EVM would not be used in the polls and polling would be held through paper ballots but option of NOTA has been provided to the voters, he said.
The elections in Panchayats of Pangi and Bharmour in Chamba district and some parts of Spiti were held on November 26, with a 70 per cent turnout.
About 1 lakh polling and security personnel, 33,000 in each phase would be deployed while 58 observers have been appointed to ensure free and fair polls, Negi informed.

As many as 15,438 polling booths would be set up for 36,77,858 electorates in the districts going for polls, including 18,77,983 males and 17,99,872 females voters.
The voters whose names have not been included in the voters list can apply for registration up to December 8.
The persons who have encroached on government lands have been barred from contesting the polls, the official added.