Nearly a decade later, Rourkela still lacks a democratically elected municipal body.

Rourkela, a town in Odisha, has been in the spotlight since the BJP party took over the state. There's been a renewed sense of hope that the long-awaited elections for the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) will finally take place. It's been a staggering nine years since the last elections were held in 2008, and the locals have been vocal about the impact this has had on the functioning of the RMC.

During the recently concluded Assembly elections in Odisha, the BJP candidate Dilip Ray had promised that if his party came to power, the RMC elections would be held promptly. Although Ray lost to BJD's Sarada Prasad Nayak, the BJP emerged victorious in the state. This begs the question - will the new government take the necessary steps to conduct elections for the various positions in the RMC?

Despite his defeat, Ray hasn't wavered in his belief that elections for the RMC are crucial for the growth of the town. But there are significant obstacles that are hindering the process. One such obstacle is the inclusion of tribal villages in the RMC. In 2013, the BJD government elevated the Rourkela Municipality to a Corporation and brought six neighboring villages under its jurisdiction through a notification issued by the Urban Development Ministry. This decision sparked massive protests from the tribal communities living in those villages. As a result, the ministry revoked the inclusion of four out of the six villages from the RMC's jurisdiction.

However, this wasn't enough to appease the protestors, led by local leader George Tirkey, who was then part of the opposition. He took the matter to the Orissa High Court, and on March 17, 2015, the court ordered a stay on the ministry's notification. Since then, the issue has been pending in court, and due to its sensitive nature, the RMC elections cannot be held until it is resolved, as pointed out by officials familiar with the matter.

Nihar Ray, a rebel BJP candidate, revealed that he has also filed a petition in court, urging for the RMC elections to take place. However, there hasn't been any significant progress in the case so far. The fate of the RMC elections remains uncertain, and the town of Rourkela continues to wait for its elected representatives to take charge and lead the way towards progress and development.

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