Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) Odisha has issued a gazette notification for the forthcoming general elections in the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), which will be held in five phases from February 16 to February 24.
The SEC on Wednesday imposed restrictions on the sale and distribution of liquor 48 hours ahead of polls till the day following the voting day and possession of licensed firearms or weapons near the polling booths.
In order to ensure that the polls are being held in a fair, transparent and peaceful manner, the poll body has imposed the restrictions which will come into effect from 5 pm of 14 February 2022 to remain in force till 5 pm of 1st March 2022.
As per the SEC order, no one can stay in the polling booths or polling station area, except for polling officers, police officers and employees deployed to maintain law and order.
Emphasizing the need for peaceful elections, the SEC wrote a letter to the state excise department to restrict the sale and distribution of liquor before 48 hours in the places going to polls and take strict action against violators
The poll body has asked the state government to declare the day of voting as paid leave for all government employees, employees of private institutions and employees of government-approved institutions for voting in the panchayat elections. Employees who have their workplaces far from polling stations should receive a special CL for three days, the Commission said in a letter to the concerned department.
Similarly, the State Election Commission has directed to declare the polling day as a public holiday to give the employees working in various institutions or industries in rural areas the opportunity to exercise their vote in elections. In a letter to the Labor Department, the SEC said workers and artisans working in various institutions in rural areas could vote.
The State Election Commission of India has ordered the closure of government offices, private offices, commercial establishments and commercial establishments in the areas going to polls to ensure that all employees in the constituency are able to vote. The poll body has written to the state government that if there are judicial courts in the poll-bound areas, the courts will also be closed on the polling day.
