Odisha Panchayat Elections Likely to be Advanced Ahead of 2027 Census
Bhubaneswar: The upcoming panchayat elections in Odisha are expected to be advanced by two to three months to avoid overlapping with the national census scheduled for February 2027.
BJP state president Manmohan Samal made the announcement during the party’s ‘Mishran Parba’ event at the state headquarters.
Samal indicated that the official notification for the polls is likely to be issued within the next six months.
He urged BJP-backed representatives, including Sarpanchs and Panchayat Samiti members, to complete all pending development projects within this timeframe.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring that no grassroots beneficiary is left out of government schemes.
The BJP has set an ambitious target of securing victories across every block, panchayat, ward, and Zilla Parishad seat in the state.
To strengthen organisational unity and election preparedness, the party will conduct a series of ‘Mishran Parba’ events across Odisha.
The State Election Commission had initially planned the polls for January–February 2027, aligning with the five-year term of the current panchayat bodies.
However, with the census fixed for February 2027, advancing the elections is seen as a move to ensure administrative clarity.
Meanwhile, elections for newly constituted Notified Area Councils (NACs) are scheduled for June 2026.
