New Delhi: The voting for Uttar Pradesh block panchayat chief elections for 476 posts will take place today (July 10, 2021). The polling will be held between 11 AM and 3 PM and will decide the fate of over 1,700 candidates. The counting of votes will take place after that.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

State Election Commissioner Manoj Kumar on Friday informed that 1,778 nomination papers were received for 825 posts of the block panchayat chief, of which 68 were cancelled and 187 withdrawn. He also said that a total of 349 candidates were elected unopposed on Friday, which, notably, was the last day for the withdrawal of the nomination 


Meanwhile, an office-bearer of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that 334 of the winning candidates belonged to the ruling party. State unit president of the BJP, Swatantra Dev Singh, said that after the formation of the BJP government under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh, a state of development and good governance has been established by eliminating casteism and corruption.


"This is the reason that even in the three-tier panchayat elections, the BJP is continuously achieving victory. This victory is the stamp of people's approval on the policies of the BJP," he said.


However, opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress, have accused the ruling party of damaging democracy in the election of kshetra panchayat chiefs and attacked it for allegedly showing utter disrespect to women during the election process.


They also accused the state government of misusing power and official machinery in the panchayat elections.


Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said, "First to win the elections of the zila panchayat chairpersons and now the block chief posts, the BJP has displayed open hooliganism in the entire state."


BSP chief Mayawati said during the polls for the district and block panchayat chiefs, the gross misuse of official machinery, money power and violence reminded her of the Samajwadi party rule.


"That is why the BSP decided not to contest both these indirect elections," she said.