The district administration has informed the State Election Commissionthat 12 G.P.s in Kashipur and one in K.Singhpur has not received any nomination till the last date of filing nomination. Also in due course of time, as things stand, almost all the candidates for the three Z.P. zones of Kashipur have withdrawn their candidature (including political party sponsored and independents).
Also in two G.P.s of Muniguda, no nominations have been filed.
As per the instruction of State Election Commission, fresh notification has been issued inviting nominations in places and for posts, for which no nominations were received.
Meanwhile, in the case of Kashipur where nominations have not been filed or withdrawn, apparently to express solidarity with the cause of Jhodia community, for inclusion in S.T. list, the District Administration has had series of discussion with the representatives of the Jhodia community where in the District Administration had appraised them of the efforts taken by the State Govt. regarding their long standing demand of inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes. They were also requested to not to boycott the Panchayat polls, a decision which they have expressed directly as well as indirectly. The District Administration had discussed with the representatives of the Jhodia community, for as many as three times.
Also on 16.01.2012, a meeting with the political parties was held, which was also attended by the Election Observer. The District Administration had requested the representatives of the political parties to help resolve the impasse by discussing the issue with the Jhodia community and help the smooth conduct of the election process.
Accordingly a meeting was scheduled with the representatives of the political parties of the Block level and the representatives of the Jhodia community on 17.01.2012 at 11.00 AM. The Collector & SP Rayagada, along with the Election Observer and other officials waited for the representatives to arrive for discussion.
However no one turned up.
By 3.00 PM, it was learnt that the representatives of the political parties of the Block level had arrived in Rayagada and had decided to withdraw nominations already filed for the Z.P. zones of Kashipur-A, B and C.
The District Administration sent a word through Sub-Collector, Rayagada to the political parties representatives to have a discussion with the District Administration before withdrawing their nominations and that after this it was upto them to decide either way about their nomination. However, inspite of the request of the District Administration, there was no response from the representatives of the political parties and some of them withdrew their nominations on that day and the rest on 18.01.2012.
The District Administration also had another meeting with the political parties on 19.01.2012, to discuss the same issue and to impress upon them the need to participate in the election process by filing nominations, wherever it has not been. He also requested them to use their influence and contact with the people and to try to solve the deadlock. He impressed that it is a dangerous trend to stall the Election process for fulfilling the demands of people and needs to be checked. The right the masses to vote is one such right which has been got after a lot of struggle and sacrifice and it needs to be valued. Giving up this right to proves against non fulfillment of a demand, howsoever genuine it may be, is against the spirit of democracy, Collector Rayagada said. He asked all political parties to join hands and collectively strive to resolve the impasse.
Collector Rayagada has also instructed the Executive Engineer Rural Works to visit the Raghubari and Dimiriguda GPs, along with BDO Muniguda and appraise the people of the PMGSY road project, which was in rough weather because of issues with Forest clearance. The Collector has discussed the mater with the DFO and the necessary clearance has been obtained. The RD department has to just expedite the work now. The district administration hopes that this will persuade the people to take back their decision to boycott the Panchayat polls, Collector Rayagada said.
