The District Election Officer (DEO), Kupwara, Anshul Garg today briefed the media about the upcoming Panchayat By-election to be held in 20 blocks of the district Kupwara, which are commencing from March 5, 2020.While briefing the media, the DEO said, the nomination process for 25 vacant Sarpanch and 768 Panch seats will start from February15.The DEO asked the contesting candidates to approach the offices of Returning Officer (RO) established in each block for submission of nomination papers as per the notified schedule issued by Chief Electoral Officer, J&K.He added that Panchayat by-election will be held in 6 phases in 20 blocks across the district except in border areas. The Ist phase will cover 4 blocks which include Wavoora, Sogam, Rajwar and Handwara, in 2nd phase 5 blocks of Nutnussa, Drugmulla, Magam, Ramhall and Tarathpora will be covered while in phase 3rd, 4 blocks of the district including Kupwara, Hayhama, Kalaroos and Langate will be covered and in 4th Phase Trehgam, Qadirabad, Mawar and Qalamabad will be covered. In 5th Phase Kralpora, Meelyal, Reddi Chowkibal, and parts of Qaziabad block will go to Panchayat by-polls and in last phase, left-out Panchayat halqas of Qaziabad will be covered.The DEO added that the nomination process for 1st Phase will start on February 15 as per the scheduled notification for which the teams of ROs and AROs have been constituted who have been imparted training today. He added that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has been declared today. He asked the PRIs and concerned departments to follow the MCC guidelines and ensure that no new works are executed at Panchayat level. MCC and Expenditure Monitoring teams have already been constituted.Later, the DEO supervised the training programme of ROs and AROs in the Meeting Hall of D.C.Office Complex, wherein he briefed them about the overall election process.The meeting was attended by Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Bashir Ahmad Bhat; Deputy District Election Officer (Dy DEO), Abdul Hameed Zargar; District Panchayat Officer (DPO), Shujaat Qureshi, ROs, AROs and other concerned.