The amended ordinance, published in a gazette notification dated December 24, states that a candidate who gives false information by himself or through his proposer, shall be punished with imprisonment.
It shall also apply to those who suppress any information in their nomination papers or affidavits and shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.
The Governor promulgated the Odisha Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 on 23 December to amend the Odisha Gram Panchayat Act, 1964, the Odisha Panchayat Samiti Act, 1959 and the Odisha Zilla Parishad Act, 1991.
There was no provision of fine or punishment in the three Acts for giving false information in the affidavit.
Law Minister Pratap Jena said, “Now a provision has been made in the ordinance for punishment and fine.”
The ordinance states that any elected member of the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) will be disqualified who has not submitted an affidavit relating to his criminal history, assets and liabilities and educational qualification at the time of filing nomination. .
It has also been provided under the Gram Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti Acts that the Panchayats shall prepare proper disaster management at the village, panchayat and block level as the state often faces natural calamities like cyclones.
The state election commission had on December 19 released the model code of conduct to be adopted by political parties and candidates for the elections to the three-tier panchayati raj institutions to be held early next year.
Panchayat elections are likely to be held in five phases before March 2022 as the tenure of all PRIs will end by that time.
In the notification of the State Election Commission, it has been said that voting will be held on non-party basis in 853 Zilla Parishads with party symbol and in 91,916 wards and 6,794 panchayats.
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