The Palamu district administration has significantly ramped up its preparations for the forthcoming civic body elections. Officials expect the election announcement to arrive very soon. They have already pinpointed the locations for both the strong room and the counting centre.
Key Facilities Identified at University
Deputy Election Officer for the municipality, Ratan Kumar Singh, confirmed the development. "We have identified the strong room and the counting centre," Singh stated clearly. He added that District Collector Sameera S and Superintendent of Police Reeshma Ramesan conducted a joint inspection last week. They personally verified the suitability of these designated locations.
University's Science Block in Focus
The chosen strong rooms are situated within the Science Block of Nilamber Pitamber University in Daltonganj. However, the administration has not yet sent a formal requisition letter to the university authorities. This delay follows a contentious issue from the previous elections.
University Vice-Chancellor D K Singh expressed strong reservations. He recalled the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections when the same block was used. "For security reasons, the administration bricked up the windows and ventilators," the VC explained. "It took us several months to remove those structures and restore the building for student use. We are very concerned about avoiding similar defacement of our facility this time."
Why the Science Block is Essential
Election sources clarified the necessity for the large space. Since the civic body elections will utilize physical ballot boxes, they require substantial storage and counting areas. The Science Block provides the ample, secure space needed to manage the electoral logistics effectively.
Scale of the Upcoming Elections
The preparations cover a total of five civic bodies within the district. Officials have established 246 polling stations across these jurisdictions.
- Medininagar Municipal Corporation: This is the largest body, comprising 35 wards with 132 polling stations.
- Bishrampur Nagar Parishad: This council covers 20 wards.
- Three Nagar Panchayats: Each of these three smaller bodies contains 16 wards.
The administration is now focused on finalizing all logistical arrangements, balancing security needs with the university's legitimate concerns over its infrastructure.
