A total of 23,054 candidates are in fray for 21,983 posts in the second phase of Panchayat elections. The voting for this phase would be held on October 11 in the 31 blocks of 12 districts. The State Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for free and fair polling on Friday. The polling parties for remote polling booths left for their destination on Wednesday.
In the second phase, the polling would be held at Chaukhutiya, Dwarahat, Tadikhet and Bhaisiachena blocks of Almora district, Bajpur, Kashipur and Jaspur blocks of Udham Singh Nagar district and Lohaghat and Barakot blocks of Champawat district. Similarly Berinag, and Gangolihat of Pithoragarh district, Kotabagh, Dhari and Ramgarh of Nainital district, Garud of Bageshwar district and Chinyalisaur and Naugaon blocks of Uttarkashi district would also go the polls of October 11.
In Chamoli district, the voters of Karnprayag, Gairsain and Pokhri blocks would exercise their franchise on the day while Dholdhar, Johnpur and Pratapnagar blocks would also vote on Saturday.
In Dehradun district, the Sahaspur and Kalsi blocks and Jakhoki block of Rudraprayag would go to the polls on the day. Similarly the voters of Yamkeshwar, Dwarikhal, Jaiharikhal, Ekeshwar and Duggada blocks of Pauri district would exercise their franchise on the day.
In the polls of second phase, more than 17,000 posts of member village Panchayat would remain vacant as there are only 1,972 candidates are in fray for 19,239 posts.
For the post of Village Pradhan, 6,354 candidates are in fray for 2,659 posts at stake in second phase similarly for 1,037 posts of member block Panchayat 3,195 candidates are in the contest. For the coveted post of member district Panchayat, 573 candidates are in the electoral fray for 119 seats at stake in the second phase of polling.
It is worth mentioning here that the Panchayat elections in 12 districts of the state are being held in three phases.
After the voting for first phase on October 5, the voting for second and third phase voting would be held on October 11 and 16 respectively. The counting of votes would be done on October 21 and the results are expected to be declared on the same day.
