CUTTACK: The district administration’s decision to set up polling stations in some closed and abandoned schools has raised concerns among the voters.
A government primary school at Brahmana Bhuin village in Nischintakoili block was shut down over inadequate student strength and has been lying abandoned for the last few years. It has been selected as a polling station for 896 voters of booth no 184 and 826 of booth no 185 of Cuttack Sadar Assembly segment. While the doors and windows of the school are broken, its premises is replete with bushes and creepers with poisonous snakes in them.
“The condition of school building and its premises has become precarious. It will not only be unsafe to conduct polling in the building but it is also doubtful if free and fair polling can be conducted from the centre,” said Cuttack Sadar BJP leader Dillip Mallik.
It is not an isolated case. There are also some other abandoned schools which the administration has selected as polling stations without inspecting them.
A senior officer of the district administration said a meeting was held with block officials for inspecting schools and submit a report. “If required, repairs will be carried out and necessary steps taken,” he said.