Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Chairmen in Municipalities and Mayors in municipal corporations are set to be elected by the people by direct voting with the Odisha government issuing a draft notification to amend the Odisha Municipal (Delimitation of Wards, Reservation of Seats and Conduct of Election) Rules, 1994.
According to the reports, the Urban Development Department issued the draft which will be taken into consideration by the State Government on or after the expiry of a period of thirty days from the date of publication of this notification in the Odisha Gazette.
According to the draft, these rules may be called the Odisha Municipal (Delimitation of Wards, Reservation of Seats and Conduct of Election) Amendment Rules,2021 and they shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Odisha Gazette. The draft notification stated that in the Odisha Municipal (Delimitation of Wards, Reservation of Seats and Conduct of Election) Rules, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in Chapter III, in the heading, for the word “Councillors”, the words “the Chairperson and Councillors” shall be substituted. Every nomination paper shall be signed by two electors of the Municipality concerned in case of the office of the Chairperson and in case of the office of Councillor by two electors of the ward concerned as proposer and seconder and the candidate shall sign a declaration on it expressing his willingness to stand for election for the office proposed.
