NO RESPONSE TO ANOTHER APPEAL FROM DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION TO RESOLVE THE JHODIA ISSUE

Yet another request from the district administration to resolve the Jhodia issue went without a response from the representatives of the Jhodia community. The Collector Rayagada had called a meeting on 20.01.12 at 11.00 am, with the members of the Jhodia community to discuss and break the impasse on the no nomination situation arising out of the agitation of the Jhodia community for ST status. A written request is said to have been sent by the district administration thorough BDO Kashipur, which the members of the Jhodia community refused to receive.

The District administration again waited till 1.00 pm, but no one turned up. Even some media persons informed that they had talked with some Jhodia leaders and that they have decided to not to come for the meeting.

The second notification for nominations for different posts in the Panchayat election has already been issued and the last date of receiving the nominations is 22nd January 2012. If in any case the nomination are not filed during this time also, it will be deemed that the electorate has afield to return any representative for the respective posts and the rules relating to ' Nomination by government' will be invoked.

The rule 30 of Orissa Gram Panchayat Election rules, 1965; the sub rule 11 of Rule 11 of Orissa Panchayat Samiti Election Rules, 1991 and rule 13 of Orissa Zilla Parishad Election Rules, 1994 clearly state the procedure of nomination for the post of ward member, Sarpanch, Panchayat Samiti member and Zilla Parishad member.