BHUBANESWAR: Around 7.25 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in the elections to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to decide the fate of 12 mayor candidates and 289 corporator candidates in 67 wards.
The State Election Commission has stressed on security arrangements at 110 sensitive booths identified in the city and its periphery. According to Commissionerate Police, out of 705 booths where polling will take place, around 15 per cent are sensitive booths where security arrangements have been tightened.
Following the pre-poll violence in Laxmisagar, security measures have been beefed up in some of the polling stations in wards 32 and 33. Apart from 30 platoons police force and 55 mobile patrolling units, around 500 additional police personnel will be deployed in the city to maintain law and order.
Sulochana Das is the Mayor face of BJD, while Suniti Mund is contesting for the post for BJP. Congress has fielded Madhushmita Acharya. Meanwhile, the Khurda administration announced closure of all educational institutions in the district on Thursday.