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Tribune News Service
Bathinda, December 15
As the panchayat elections are drawing nearer, political activities have started picking up momentum in the district. On Saturday, a large number of aspirants turned up at the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) office for getting their no dues certificates (NOCs).
The NOC is mandatory for aspirants to clear all tax dues to contest the panchayat elections.
On the first day, not a single candidate filed nomination papers for the elections. It is expected that the rush of candidates will increase in the coming days. On Saturday, aspirants were busy getting their NOCs.
As many as 5.81 lakh voters — 3, 06, 895 male; 2, 74,335 female; and nine transgender voters — will cast their vote to elect their representatives in 308 gram panchayats in the district.
The district administration has made 785 polling booths for the elections to 308 the posts of sarpanch and 2,450 of panch.
Of the total sarpanch posts, 58 are reserved for the SC, 52 for the SC (women), 96 for women and 102 for the general category. Similarly, of the total 2,450 post of panch, 524 are reserved for the SC, 374 for the SC (women), 700 for women and 842 for the general category.
There are total 314 gram panchayats in the district, but the elections to only 308 panchayats will be held this month. The elections to the six gram panchayats were held in 2015 and their term will expire in 2020.