SEC orders cancellation of panchayat polls in 8 places

The State Election Commission has ordered cancellation of the polls for the three-tier panchayat elections in eight places following death of candidates.
The eight posts where polling has been cancelled are : one zilla parishad member, one panchayat samiti member, two sarpanches and four ward member posts, an official release issued by the SEC said.
According to the SEC, election in Zilla Parishad Zone No 8 under Gania block in Nayagarh district, Badabambua panchayat under Bisra block in Sundergarh district and Tukutiha panchayat under Jhumupura block in Keonjhar district, panchayat samiti member in Badagaon under Balikuda block in Jagatsinghpur district has been cancelled.

Similarly, the poll has been countermanded in Ward No 2 of Khirkona panchayat under Simulia block in Balasore district, Ward No 9 of Dhusuri panchayat under Dham Nagar block in Bhadrak district, Ward No 21 of Bagalgarh panchayat under Niali block in Cuttack district and Ward No 8 of Bamuni panchayat under Kosagumunda block in Nabarangpur district.
The SEC said the nomination for these posts will be done afresh but enlisted candidates need not file nominations again.
SEC Secretary Rabindranath Sahu has said that the decision of cancellation of the polls in these eight places was taken as per the rules and provisions in the Odisha Gram Panchayat Act.

As per the Act, if a candidate dies after the announcement of the final list and before the election, in that case the election would be cancelled.