Clearing the air amid political speculation from opposition parties, Odisha State Election Commissioner (SEC) Madhusudan Padhi has announced that the three-tier Panchayat elections in the state will be conducted in the last week of March 2027 across five phases.
Urban Local Body (ULB) elections will follow within 15 days to a month after the rural polls conclude.
Speaking to media persons on Saturday, the Election Commissioner shared key structural details and the administrative timeline leading up to the polls.
Paper Ballots for Rural Polls, EVMs for ULBs
The Panchayat elections will be conducted using traditional paper ballots across 91,000 polling stations statewide. In contrast, the subsequent urban local body elections will utilise Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Additionally, elections for the Sambalpur, Rourkela, and Puri Municipal Corporations will be held simultaneously during the urban poll phase, with administrative preparations already underway.
Electoral Roll Survey and Reservation Timeline
To ensure accuracy in voter lists and eliminate duplicate entries across multiple wards, a statewide enumeration survey will take place from October 24 to November 7. The final voter list will be published by February 10, 2027.
| Key Milestone | Scheduled Date |
| Statewide Voter Survey | October 24 – November 7 |
| Reservation Process Completion | By October 31 |
| Census Synchronisation Deadline | By March 5, 2027 |
| Final Voter List Publication | By February 10, 2027 |
| Panchayat Elections (5 Phases) | Last Week of March 2027 |
| Urban Local Body (ULB) Polls | Within 15 to 30 days post-Panchayat polls |
