Maoist-hit Manko GP goes to polls Wednesday

ROURKELA: Security was beefed up on the eve of election to the vacant post of panchayat samiti (PS) member in the Maoist-hit Manko gram panchayat of Bisra block. Sundargarh administration has completed all preparations for election to the lone post of PS member at Kenabhata gram panchayat of Lahunipara block and the sarpanch post at Kutra gram panchayat of Kutra block. They are also going to polls on Wednesday. Election parties were asked to proceed to their respective booths on Tuesday. Sources said all attention was on Manko gram panchayat because of its proximity to Saranda forest, the Maoist hot-bed. Accordingly, police, SOG, DVF and CRPF personnel have been deployed in 12 wards of as many villages.Sundargarh District Panchayat Officer Guruva Singh said the election to the post of samiti member at Manko was deferred after a candidate, DD Bannerjee, died of cardiac arrest. Similarly, at Kenabhata gram panchayat, a candidate had died in the run up to the February rural polls, he said, adding that sarpanch election at Kutra gram panchayat was put on hold due to the accidental death of a candidate. WARD MEMBERS: Meanwhile, the district administration is simultaneously making efforts to fill up the remaining vacant ward member posts through direct appointment. A whopping 1,000 posts were lying vacant as aspiring candidates could not produce caste certificates in time during the February elections.In the subsequent nominations, the number was reduced to around 400 posts.  The DPO informed, in accordance with the Panchayat Polls guidelines, the vacancies would be filled through direct selection of eligible candidates by BDOs of the respective blocks. About 40 posts are likely to be de-reserved in the absence of suitable candidates, he added.