Odisha Panchyat Polls: 6-months jail for candidates declaring false info in affidavit

Bhubaneswar: The candidates who are contesting for the panchayat elections in the state early next year, will now have to declare details of their criminal antecedents, assets and educational qualifications while filing nomination papers.

The Odisha government has promulgated an Ordinance ‘The Odisha Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021’ to amend ‘The Odisha Grama Panchayats Act, 1964’, ‘The Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959’ and ‘The Odisha Zilla Parisad Act, 1991’.

A gazette notification in this regard was issued by the Odisha Law Department on Friday.

The new rules will be applicable in the upcoming Panchayat elections scheduled to be held in February 2022.

As per the Ordinance, candidates contesting for the posts of Sarpanch, Samiti members, Zilla Parishad members have to mandatorily furnish an affidavit containing particulars relating to his/her criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities, and educational qualification at the time of filing of nomination.

Further, as per the Ordinance, if a candidate who himself/herself or through his/her proposer, with intent to be elected in an election gives false information which he/she knows or has reason to believe to be false or conceals any information in his/her nomination paper or in his affidavit which is required to be delivered shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or both.

It is pertinent to mention here that this rule was mandatory for candidates contesting Lok Sabha and State Assembly polls.

Also Read: Odisha Panchayat Polls: State Election Commission issues Model Code of Conduct