The upcoming panchayat elections in Odisha are likely to be conducted two to three months earlier than originally planned to avoid clashing with the national census scheduled for February 2027, BJP state president Manmohan Samal announced on Saturday.
Speaking at a ‘Mishran Parba’ (interaction meet) organised at the party’s state headquarters, Samal told BJP-supported Sarpanchs, Panchayat Samiti members, and party workers that the state government is planning to advance the rural local body polls to facilitate a smooth census process.
“The panchayat elections may be held two to three months before the scheduled census timeline,” Samal said, adding that the election notification is expected in the next six months.
He issued a clear directive to party-backed representatives: complete all unfinished development works within the next six months. “Work day and night to ensure no beneficiary at the grassroots level is deprived of any government scheme,” he stressed.
Samal set an ambitious target for the party, stating that the BJP must secure victories in every block, every panchayat, every ward, and every Zilla Parishad seat. “We have to establish BJP leadership at every level,” he declared.
The state president also announced plans for a series of ‘Mishran Parba’ events from the panchayat level up to Bhubaneswar to strengthen organisational unity and election preparedness.
Sources indicate that the State Election Commission had initially prepared to conduct the panchayat polls in January or February 2027, aligning with the five-year term ending early that year. However, with the national census fixed for February 2027, the elections are now expected to be advanced to ensure administrative clarity before the population count.
Meanwhile, elections for newly constituted Notified Area Councils (NACs) are slated for June this year.
