Poll panel gears up for fourth phase elections in Odisha

It has also asked administration of the districts to ensure special arrangements for differently-abled voters during the polling.
Odisha Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar addressing mediaperson in Bhubaneswar on Sunday | Irfana
Odisha Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar addressing mediaperson in Bhubaneswar on Sunday | Irfana

BHUBANESWAR: The Election Commission has put in place necessary arrangements for the fourth and final phase of elections in which over 95 lakh voters will exercise their franchise on Monday to decide the fate of 388 candidates contesting in six Lok Sabha and 41 Assembly constituencies.

As many as 52 Lok Sabha and 336 Assembly candidates are in fray in the fourth phase polls. Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar said a total of 95,00,635 voters including 49,01,079 males, 45,98,979 females and 545 transgenders will cast their votes in the final phase of the elections. Among these voters, around 8 lakh are first timers while 1.86 lakh are differently-abled.

The EC has set up 10,792 booths and engaged 72,363 polling personnel for smooth conduct of the elections. It has also asked administration of the districts to ensure special arrangements for differently-abled voters during the polling.

In the fourth phase, elections will be held in Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituencies and their assembly segments. However, Kendrapara’s Patkura Assembly segment, where elections have been adjourned due to death of BJD candidate Bed Prakash Agarwalla, will go to polls on May 19. 

Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency, which is witnessing a fierce battle between BJP candidate Baijayant Panda and BJD nominee Anubhav Mohanty, will be under the scanner of the poll panel during elections to avoid law and order situation.

Unlike the previous three phases, voting time in the final phase has been kept unchanged for all the Lok Sabha constituencies and Assembly segments. Voters will exercise their franchise between 7 am and 6 pm. 

The CEO said, “All arrangements are in place for the fourth phase elections. Special attention will be given to Kendrapara constituency where additional police forces will be deployed and movement of political personalities monitored.”

A total of 3,092 sensitive booths have been identified by the EC in this phase. CCTV cameras have been installed in 554 sensitive booths while Central Armed Police Force has been deployed in 411 critical polling stations. Besides, web-casting will be done in 1,126 sensitive polling stations and micro-observers will keep a watch on 595 sensitive booths to ensure peaceful voting.

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