63 candidates elected unopposed ahead of Arunachal local body polls on Dec 15

Itanagar, Dec 1: The Arunachal Pradesh State Election Commission on Sunday announced that 63 candidates have been elected unopposed ahead of the municipal and panchayat elections scheduled for December 15.

According to the SEC, the ruling BJP secured 58 zila parishad constituencies unopposed, while one seat went to a candidate from the National Peoples’ Party (NPP). Additionally, four BJP nominees for the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) were elected without contest. The final date for withdrawal of nominations was Saturday.

The SEC said 440 candidates are now in the fray for 186 zilla parishad seats, while 39 candidates will contest 16 IMC wards and 21 candidates will fight for eight wards of the Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC).

In total, 600 nominations were filed for 245 zilla parishad constituencies, 10,550 for 8,182 gram panchayat seats, 101 for 20 IMC wards, and 28 for eight PMC wards by the November 24 deadline. Scrutiny of papers was completed on November 26, the commission added.

A total of 13 gram panchayat constituencies received no nominations, while all such documents in 14 GP seats were rejected during scrutiny.

Polling in the Dumba Singpho gram panchayat constituency has been countermanded due to the death of a candidate whose nomination was found valid.

These are provisional figures, and the vacant seats will be filled later through by-elections.

Arunachal Pradesh will conduct the 12th elections to panchayati raj institutions and the third municipal polls for Itanagar and Pasighat simultaneously on December 15.

Altogether 8,31,648 voters, including 7,59,210 for panchayat seats and 72,438 for municipal elections, are eligible to cast their ballots across 2,171 polling stations for rural polls, 67 for IMC, and 12 for PMC.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used for municipal polls, while ballot boxes will be deployed for panchayat elections.

Counting of votes will be held on December 20.

PTI