Bhubaneswar, Aug. 10: Opposition political parties today protested against the State Election Commission’s proposal to exclude the troubled Dhinkia gram panchayat under the proposed Posco project area from its plan for holding panchayat elections, due next year.

Objecting to the commission’s proposal at the all-party meet held today, the Opposition parties said the move to exclude a particular area from the election process would be undemocratic as the residents would be deprived from exercising their franchise.

The objection was first raised by Samajvadi Party president Rabi Behera. It was later supported by other political parties as well.

However, officials of the State Election Commission said election to the office of Dhinkia sarpanch and 23 ward members would be held some time in 2014. The election for these posts were last held in 2009, they said.

Elections to the post of Dhinkia sarpanch could not be conducted during the general panchayat polls held in 2007 because of law and order problem. The deferred election to the post was held later in 2009.