High Court allows holding panchayat samiti elections in four blocks in Odisha

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday lifted its interim stay on holding of polls in four panchayat samitis in the state.

The High Court allowed the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold panchayat samiti elections in Rengali, Kolabira, Parjang and Bhawanipatna panchyat samitis of Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Dhenkanal and Kalahandi districts respectively.

The next hearing would be held on March 21.

Notably, six cases were registered in the High Court citing that reservation of seats in the current panchayat polls was over 50 percent.

Out of these cases, the case pertaining to Dasarathpur block in Jajpur district was withdrawn by the petitioner.

On the other hand, hearing in the case pertaining to Laikera block in Jharsuguda district has been fixed for next Monday.

Recently, the court allowed holding panchayat elections in Muktapasi and Patharkhamba panchayats in Parjang block. Kamarda village, which was included in Patharkhamba panchayat following creation of over 500 panchayats in the state, had challenged it and pleaded to remain with Muktapasi panchayat.