LUCKNOW: After high-decibel polling for the posts of zila panchayat chairpersons, the political stage is set for another grassroots election with the Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission announcing the schedule for block pramukh (chairperson of the kshetra panchayats) polls on Monday.
Election will be held for 825 of the 826 blocks, the only exception being Gonda’s Mujhena block where the term of block pramukh will conclude in 2022. More than 75,500 ward members will choose block chairman during the electoral process.
As per the timeline issued by state election commissioner Manoj Kumar, nominations will be filed on July 8 and scrutiny of applications will take place the same day. Candidates can withdraw their applications till 3pm on July 9. Polling and counting of votes will take place on July 10.
The election assumes importance as the ruling BJP and opposition parties are eyeing maximum gains to strengthen their position ahead of 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections. “It is an indirect election but results would give a psychological boost to the winning parties," a poll analyst said.
The ruling BJP already has an edge over the opponents by winning 66 of the 75 seats, while its allies bagged another one, in the recent zila panchayat chairman polls. The party won unopposed on 21 seats. Samajwadi Party-backed candidates won five seats while three seats went to RLD, Janshakti Party and an Independent candidate.
