Bhubaneswar, July 10: The Odisha Panchayat elections are likely to be delayed, with the State Election Commission (SEC) planning to issue the election notification only after the completion of the 2027 Census and the ongoing electoral revision process. The Commission is aiming to complete the Panchayat elections by June 2027, with the notification expected to be released in April 2027.

As part of the preparations, the SEC has already held discussions with Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs) and District Collectors across the State. A comprehensive review meeting with district officials through video conferencing has been scheduled for July 21 to assess the progress of the preparatory work.

For the first time, the Commission will conduct a door-to-door survey to improve the quality of the electoral rolls. A booth-wise verification drive will also be carried out to identify and rectify errors in voter lists, ensuring a smoother and more transparent election process.

State Election Commission Secretary Santosh Kumar Dash said the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is expected to continue until the first week of March, making it difficult to hold elections earlier. Unlike previous years, when Panchayat elections were generally conducted in February, both the Panchayat and Municipal elections are now likely to be held during April-May 2027.

Dash said the survey will help remove discrepancies in voter lists, ensure voters are assigned to polling booths within their own localities, improve accessibility, and enhance voter participation. Following the exercise, the SEC will publish updated booth-wise electoral rolls to facilitate a more efficient and error-free polling process.

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