Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC), Monday, postponed by-elections to panchayat bodies in Odisha until further orders in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
This comes after the detection of Odisha’s first positive coronavirus case, an Italy-returned research scholar from Bhubaneswar. The state government has already closed down all educational institutions, cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools across the state and restricted entry to religious institutions, seminars, gatherings and social functions.
The by-polls to the zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and sarpanch offices were scheduled to be held March 24, 2020. The SEC, in exercise of its power conferred under Article 243 K of the Constitution and also considering the gravity of the situation and the ground realities, postponed the by-elections with immediate effect until further orders as per a circular issued by the SEC office.
In addition, the Health and Family Welfare department has issued a set of guidelines for prevention of the coronavirus infection.
Meanwhile, the State Election Commission of Andhra Pradesh, the SEC said, has also postponed elections to its local bodies.
The SEC was of the view that going forward with the election as per its original schedule might have been detrimental to public health at large due to the movement of polling personnel as well as voters in that area.