Voting for the by-election to elect 504 representatives of three-tier panchayat bodies in 28 districts of Chhattisgarh will be held on Thursday, officials said. Besides, voting for the general poll to elect eight sarpanches in as many village panchayats of two districts will also be held simultaneously.

“Preparations have been done for the polling to be held from 7 am to 3 pm on Thursday. The polling parties have started reaching their destination amid tight security,” a state election commission official told PTI. In view of COVID-19, one healthcare personnel has also been deputed at each polling booth. Each member of the polling team will have to follow all precautionary measures, including wearing masks, using hand sanitisers and maintaining social distancing, he added.

“The polling will be held through ballot papers, after which counting will take place in respective polling booths,” he added. The general elections will be held to elect sarpanches in five gram panchayats of Kondagaon district and three of Korea district. Similarly, by-elections will be held to elect three Jila Panchayat members- one each in Raigarh, Surajpur and Bijapur districts, 27 Janpad Panchayat members, 144 sarpanches and 330 panches in 28 districts, he said.