27 gram panchayats excluded from polls

The State Election Commission said on Saturday that 27 gram panchayats will be excluded from the upcoming two-phased elections.

According to an official release, 26 gram panchayats in Bengaluru Urban (5), Bengaluru Rural (1), Belagavi (4), Raichur (3), Dakshina Kannada (3), Davangere (2), Uttara Kannada (4) and Kolar (4) districts will be excluded as they have been upgraded as urban local bodies.

In addition, the Hosadu grama panchayat in Kundapur taluk, Udupi, will also not be facing elections because of a dispute on the inclusion of the Sonapura village that is pending resolution before the Mysuru regional commissioner.

Some 5,700 gram panchayats across the state will go to polls on December 22 and December 27.

The SEC also said that all gram panchayats in Chikkamagaluru will go to polls in the first phase on December 22, owing to the Datta Jayanti celebrations in the district on December 27-29. The decision was taken based on the recommendation of the district administration and the police to maintain law-and-order.