Bhubaneswar: The government on Monday began the statutory process for conducting elections to newly constituted Notified Area Councils and municipalities by directing district administrations to complete ward delimitation and reservation of seats within a fixed timeline.
The Housing and Urban Development Department has treated the exercise as election-urgent and instructed District Magistrates and Collectors to follow the approved schedule without deviation, according to a government press release.
The decision follows the recent formation of several new NACs and municipalities across the State, where elections are required to be held within six months of their constitution as mandated under law.
Ward delimitation and reservation of seats will be carried out under the provisions of the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950, along with the relevant election rules, after inviting objections and suggestions from the public.
As per the schedule approved by the government, draft notifications on ward boundaries and reservation categories will be issued by February 12, 2026, following which objections and suggestions will be received till February 21.
After examining public representations, district administrations will publish provisional notifications on February 26, while appeals against the provisional arrangements may be filed up to March 13.
Appeals will be heard by the designated appellate authority, and decisions will be taken in accordance with statutory provisions before the process is finalised.
The government has emphasised that completion of the delimitation exercise within the stipulated time is crucial for enabling the State Election Commission to proceed with further steps related to the conduct of urban local body elections.
District administrations have been asked to ensure transparency and adherence to the timeline to avoid any delay in the electoral process.
