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Parties voice concern over flow of illicit liquor

Staff Reporter

All-party meet on panchayat polls held

BERHAMPUR: Leaders of various political parties in Ganjam district fear that continuing illicit liquor trade in rural areas in the district would create problems during panchyat elections.

The district administration convened a meeting of representatives of political parties, election observers, district officials, Ganjam and Berhampur Superintendents of Police (SP) at Chatrapur on Saturday. Ganjam district Congress president, Trinath Behera, CPM representative, Kailash Sadangi, BJD district vice-president, Uma Nayak and party general secretary Jagannath Sabat voiced their concern over menace of illicit liquor in the district. No BJP member attended the meeting.

All political leaders urged the administration and police to put immediate checks on illicit liquor to ensure free and fair panchayat polls.

They even asked the administration to impose curbs on sale of of liquor at the licensed shops during the elections.

The CPM representative said there were chances of booth capturing at Bhanjanagar and Digapahandi blocks. Mr Nayak alleged illicit liquor was most rampant at the Gopalpur assembly constituency area, which had faced hooch tragedy last year. Mr Behera charged that the police and administration were behaving in partisan manner.

The three election observers present at the meeting asked the political parties to advise their candidates to obey the moral code of conduct and to submit their expenditure report in time.

Senisitive booths

In Ganjam district 20,17,272 voters would vote in five phases at 6,943 booths for the panchayat polls. Fiftyfive booths would operate at temporary structures.

About 2,200 booths in Ganjam police district and 1309 booths in Berhampur police district have been declared sensitive.

For the 69 zilla prishad seats in the district 248 candidates are in fray. BJD candidates are contesting all seats whereas Congress fielded candidates in 64. There are 56 candidates of BJP and the CPM is contesting for two zilla parishad seats.

Twelve zilla parishad candidates of the CPI have been declared independent candidates.

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