Civic, panchayat polls announced in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: In what looks like a fierce contest in a run up to

2018 assembly elections

,

Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission

on Monday announced elections and byelections in municipal bodies and panchayats. A notification issued by the commission stated polling for civic elections would be held on January 17.

The commission announced elections for 19 civic bodies in Dhar, Barwani, Khandwa, Guna and Anuppur districts, where the term of candidates was over in September. In Dhar district, election for Pithampur, Dhar and Manawar municipal councils and Sardarpur, Rajgarh, Dharampuri, Dhamnod, Kukshi and Dahi Nagar Parishad (town councils) will he held.

In Barwani district, election for Sendhwa and Barwani municipal council and Pansemal, Khetia, Palsud ,Anjad and Rajpur Nagar Parishad will be held. In Khandwa district, polling will be held for Omkareshwar Nagar Parishad, in Guna district for Vijaypur-Raghogarh municipal council. In Anuppur district, polling will be held for Jaithari Nagar Parishad.

The commission also announced by-polls for Semaria Nagar Parishad in Rewa district and some wards in municipal councils of Singrauli and Sarni (Betul), Mandla, Sidhi, Sagar, Chhatarpur, Jhabua and Dhamoh, two wards in Satna and three wards of Balaghat.

Elections will also be conducted in Nagar Parishad in Akoda (Bhind), Karnawad in Dewas district and Khilchipur in Rajgarh district after council president were recalled under Section 47, Sub-section 2 of the MP Municipality Act 1961.

The commission also announced elections to panchayats to fill vacant posts as of September 30 in three-tier panchayat system. In 51 districts, of 5,435 posts, by-elections for 78 sarpanch, 17 janpad panchayat members, three district panchayat members and general election for 90 sarpanch and 1,600 panch will also be held.

A notification from the state election commission said model code of conduct would be effective in all municipal bodies with immediate effect where elections were declared on Monday. After nomination and scrutiny of papers, polling for civic bodies would be held on January 17 and the results would be out three days later.

The notifications were dispatched and publicised by authorities in each district, officials said.