The Chhattisgarh State Election Commission has announced the schedule for urban local body and three-tier panchayat elections across the state, bringing the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) into immediate effect in the poll-bound regions.
The elections will cover 10 municipal corporations, 49 municipal councils, and 114 nagar panchayats. Additionally, by-elections will be held for five vacant wards in the urban bodies of the Durg and Sukma districts. Urban body elections will be conducted in a single phase, while the three-tier panchayat elections will take place in three phases.
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For the urban body polls, 44.74 lakh voters, comprising 22.00 lakh men, 22.73 lakh women, and 512 others, are eligible to cast their votes at 5,970 polling stations, including 1,531 sensitive and 132 highly sensitive centers. By-elections for five wards will involve 16,181 voters and will be conducted at 22 polling stations.
In the three-tier panchayat elections, voting will be held for 1,75,258 positions, including district panchayat members, janpad panchayat members, sarpanches, and ward members. Over 1.58 crore voters are registered for these elections. Voting will take place at 31,041 polling stations, with 7,128 categorized as sensitive and 2,161 as highly sensitive. Urban local body elections will utilise electronic voting machines (EVMs), while ballot boxes will be deployed for panchayat elections.
To ensure transparency, photo voter rolls have been prepared for both processes. The Commission has approved 18 forms of identification for voting, including voter ID cards, Aadhaar cards, and passports. Voters can also opt for the NOTA (None of the Above) option in both urban and rural elections.
With the announcement of the election schedule, the MCC prohibits new schemes, projects, or financial incentives by the government in the poll-bound regions. The State Election Commission has also appointed election observers and expenditure monitors to ensure compliance and to scrutinize campaign spending. Candidates for mayoral and chairman positions are required to submit expenditure accounts for regular audits. District election officers will oversee the appointment of officials to monitor financial compliance.
To encourage voter participation, the Commission has launched an awareness initiative titled “Jaagbo Voter” (Awaken Voter) and organized gram sabhas in rural areas to inform citizens about the elections. Voter education campaigns, particularly on EVM usage, are being actively conducted. The Chhattisgarh State Election Commission emphasized its commitment to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections.
