<span style="color: #222222;">In Odisha, counting of votes in the recently held panchayat elections resumed for the third day today. In the first phase of counting of votes cast for 315 Zilla Parishad seats held last Saturday, the ruling Biju Janata Dal( BJD) captured more than 280 seats. While the opposition BJP has got 15 seats, Congress could secure only 14. Even in the second phase of counting for 305 ZP seats that took place yesterday, BJD was trending far ahead of the other parties.<br />'' <br />'' On the third day of counting today, votes cast for 229 Zilla Parishad zones will be taken into account. AIR correspondent reports that in the three tier panchayat elections that were held in five phases between the 16 th and 24th of this month, a total of about 2.2 lakh candidates were in the fray.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, the state election commission have announced polling for 109 Urban Local Bodies which will take place on the 24th of March. The Commission is likely to issue a formal notification in this regard today. In this election, about 41 lakh voters will excercise their franchise in 59 Notified Area Councils, 47 Municipalities and three Municipal Corporations.</span>