Bhubaneswar, Jan. 7: The notification for election to the Cuttack Municipal Corporation has been issued today, a day after the Supreme Court granted an interim stay on the execution of the Orissa High Court order restraining the state election commission from going ahead with the polling process.

State election commissioner S.C. Hota, however, declined to reply to further queries on the court orders, maintaining that the matter was sub-judice.

According to the notification, the election process will start from January 9 with the respective election officers issuing notice to the electorate to elect the corporators/councillors.

Filing of nomination will start from January 12 and the scrutiny of papers will be conducted on January 19. The last date for withdrawal has been fixed on January 22.

Polling for election of corporators/councillors will be held on February 6 and the counting of votes will be taken up next day.

Election of mayor/municipality chairperson will be conducted on February 13 and that of deputy mayor/vice chairperson on February 26.

Announcing the poll schedule simultaneously for Cuttack Municipal Corporation and Baripada municipality, Hota said the model code of conduct would be enforced from today.

“No inauguration, bhoomi puja, foundation stone laying ceremony can be held by the government in the two urban bodies going to polls nor any new scheme be announced in the state till the code of conduct is in force,” he said.

The state election commission also imposed restriction on government functionaries highlighting achievements of the government or making any promise to influence the voters in their coming Republic Day speech.

However, there would be no restriction on implementation of ongoing projects, relief and restoration work in the calamity-affected areas and execution of projects funded by external aid agencies, he clarified.

Three senior officers in the rank of commissioner would be appointed election observers to ensure free and fair polls, he said.

A ceiling of Rs 50,000 on poll expenses has been fixed, said Hota, adding that six expenditure observers would be appointed to keep a tab on the spending by candidates.