After 15 years gap, Puducherry local body elections to be held in three phases

Chennai: After a gap of fifteen years, the local body polls in Puducherry are going to be held in three phases on October 21, 25 and 28, the State Election Commission announced on Wednesday.

The previous elections were held in 2006.

Making the poll announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, State Election Commissioner Roy P Thomas said the elections are being held on directions from the Supreme Court. The counting of votes will be held on October 31.

Elections would be held for a total of 1,149 posts that include five Chairpersons of municipalities and 116 councillors of municipal wards, 108 commune panchayat ward councillors, presidents of 108 villages panchayats, and 812 village panchayat members.

In the first phase, elections would be held for municipalities of Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam along with five commune panchayats in the Karaikal region, Kotucherry, Nedungadu, Neravy, Thirumalairayanpattinam, and Thirunallar.

Elections will be held in Puducherry and Oulgaret municipalities in the second phase and the five commune panchayats in Puducherry, Ariyankuppam, Bahour, Munnadipet, Nettapakkam, and Villianur will be taken up in the third phase.

Filing of nominations for the first phase will begin from September 30, for the second phase from October 4, and for the third phase from October 7.

The State Election Commissioner said that polling would be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the last one hour will be dedicated to Covid-19 patients. He said that EVMs will be used for the first time in Puducherry local body elections.

A total electorate of 10,03,256 will be exercising their right to franchise in 1,629 polling stations, he added.