India News | Nomination for 1st Round of Jharkhand Panchayat Polls Begins
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. With the issuance of notification for the first phase of four-phase Panchayat polls in Jharkhand on Saturday, the process for filing of nomination papers began in 72 blocks under 21 districts, election officials said.
Ranchi, Apr 16 (PTI) With the issuance of notification for the first phase of four-phase Panchayat polls in Jharkhand on Saturday, the process for filing of nomination papers began in 72 blocks under 21 districts, election officials said.
The nomination filing process started at the respective district headquarters from 11 am to 3 pm. However, the final figure of nominations filed on the very first day is yet to reach the state election commission office, election control room officials said.
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The last date for filing nomination is April 23 while the last date for withdrawal of name is April 27.
As many as 1,127 panchayats will go to polls in the first phase of polls on May 14 and counting will take place on May 17.
The first round will be held to elect 146 zila parishad members, 1,405 panchayat samiti members, 1,127 mukhiyas and 14,079 panchayat members, officials said.
With the beginning of nomination process, political parties have started playing blame games even though the panchayat elections are not held on party lines.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has alleged that the BJP is violating the model code of conduct (MCC) set by the state election commission.
A delegation, comprising members of ruling allies—Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)— on Saturday met the secretary of the state election commission and handed him over a memorandum.
"We have demanded immediate postponement of scheduled visits of several Central ministers and BJP meetings in different districts in light of the Panchayat polls,” JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya told PTI.
Bhattacharya, who was part of the delegation, said, “Union minister of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy Parshottam Rupala visited Gumla district on April 13 and 14. Another Union minister of state for Panchayati Raj Kapil Moreshwar is scheduled to visit Jharkhand on Sunday. These visits are being conducted in violation of MCC. So, we have demanded postponement on such visits with immediate effect.”
BJP termed the ruling parties' demand as ridiculous.
“Isn't it ridiculous that Central ministers will come to Jharkhand to influence panchayat polls when it is not being held on party lines? This is nothing but an attempt to divert people's minds. There is large-scale resentment among other backward classes (OBCs) for not giving them 27 per cent reservation in panchayat polls and the issue being raised by us,” said BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)