Lethaka panchayat poll today

DHENKANAL: The district administration has geared up to conduct the panchayat election in Lethaka of Gondia block on Friday and declared all the 15 booths as hypersensitive.Sources said the election to the Sarpanch post reserved for Scheduled Tribe could not take place during the last three-tier panchayati raj elections as no nomination was filed by ST candidate. After the State Election Commission de-reserved it recently, the polling date for the panchayat poll was announced.

As many as 2,500 voters will exercise their franchise to elect Sarpanch and 11 ward members in the panchayat. The poll campaign, which was going on for the last seven days, concluded on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Dhenkanal Sub-Collector Shilpa Sharma visited the panchayat and seized cash from a candidate. Police forces have been deployed in the area to avert any law and order situation. Gondia Block Development Officer (BDO) R K Sabat has been designated as election officer.

District Panchayat Officer Birendra Kumar Hota said poll will also be held in 50 wards of seven blocks on Friday where Ward Member elections were not conducted due to several reasons. Om Prakash and Babaji Swain are vying for Sarpanch post.