Odisha primary cooperative societies election in January

The elections to 9,733 primary cooperative societies will be held on January 18 and January 25 next year, according to a notification issued by the Odisha Cooperative Election Commissioner.
Though the elections to cooperative societies were held in 2007 last time, the state government was deferring the polls over the last 18 months.
Elections were deferred last month again after the state cabinet, through an ordinance, deferred the elections for six months.
The state government had issued a notification on October 17 to hold the elections to nearly 10,600 cooperative societies (primary, central and apex) in Odisha, sources said.
Cooperative Election Commissioner Krushna Gopal Mohapatra said the polls would be held in two phases - January 18 and 25 next year.

"The Chief Secretary has asked the district collectors to ensure smooth conduct of the polls," he said.
The village agricultural workers (VAW) and village level workers (VLW) would be the presiding and elections officers respectively, he added.
About 51 lakh members of different primary cooperative societies would participate in the elections. At least 15 members would be elected to each cooperative body and the president and the vice-president would be elected from among the 15 members.