BHUBANESWAR: Ten candidates remained in the fray for the Padampur bypoll to be held on December 5. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Kumar Lohani told media persons that while nominations of two independent candidates were cancelled during scrutiny on November 18, another withdrew from the contest.
The fate of these candidates will be decided by 2,57,474 voters, including 1,29,497 men, 1, 27, 965 women and 12 members of the transgender community, besides 199 service voters, and they will cast their votes in 319 polling stations. There is a provision for postal ballot for senior citizens (80+ age group) and PWD voters, he said.
He further informed that 74 booths in left-wing extremism (LWE) areas have been declared as vulnerable while 78 others have been marked sensitive.
At least nine companies of the central police force (CPF) and 41 platoons of state police will be deployed across the constituency for the smooth conduct of the by-election.