Bhubaneswar, January: The Odisha State Election Commission (SEC) is set to conduct elections in 24 newly formed Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) by June, according to senior officials.
State Election Commissioner Madhusudan Padhi confirmed that under legal provisions, these ULBs must have elected councils within six months of their establishment.
On December 31, 2025, the state government issued a notification establishing 24 new Notified Area Councils (NACs) and municipalities across 14 districts.
“The SEC has already begun preparations to ensure timely elections in these newly formed ULBs,” said Padhi. The Commission has reached out to the state government to request necessary arrangements, including the delimitation and reservation of urban wards, which must be completed within the prescribed period. Following this, the SEC will begin preparations for the electoral rolls.
In addition to ULB elections, Padhi revealed that preparations are underway for the three-tier panchayat elections scheduled for January–February 2027, as the tenure of the existing rural bodies is set to expire by then. The SEC has held multiple meetings with district collectors, the latest of which took place in Chhatrapur, Ganjam district.
The Commission also announced that a comprehensive door-to-door voter survey will be conducted for both panchayat and ULB elections, aiming for completion by March. However, Padhi indicated that the timeline might be extended by a month due to ongoing census activities.
He clarified that the voter survey would be independent of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, emphasizing that there is no connection between the two.
