Security tightened for third phase polling in Odisha
In the wake of violent incidents during the first two phases of panchayat polls, security arrangements have been strengthened for the third phase scheduled on Sunday.
State Election Commission (SEC) sources said 240 platoons of police and 1,625 mobile patrolling parties along with district police officers have been deployed across Odisha for smooth conduct of the third phase polls which will be held in 63 blocks of 29 districts for 171 zilla parishad (ZP) zones and 1,382 gram panchayats (GPs) having 18,495 wards.
As many as 2,773 booths have been identified as sensitive in the phase during which 56.53 lakh voters will exercise their franchise. As many 679 candidates are in the fray for the ZP elections.
The sources maintained that re-polling will be held in 45 booths where elections were disrupted due to violence and other factors including errors in ballot papers. Taking strong exception to violence reported during the first phase polling on February 16, the SEC had asked DGP SK Bansal to ensure incident-free polling in the second phase.
In Koraput district, polling will be held in Kundra, Nandapur and Laxmipur blocks comprising 613 booths for six ZP zones, 52 GPs and 613 wards. The district administration has made elaborate arrangements in these blocks to ensure fair elections and tightened security in Maoist-prone pockets of Laxmipur and Nandapur. Police personnel have been deployed in bordering Bandhugaon near Laxmipur and Padwa and Chatua in Nandapur.
In Malkangiri, election for three ZP zones in Maoist-infested Mathili and one in Podia will be held in the third phase. Security measures have been tightened in the two blocks. In Ganjam, 1,382 booths have been set up in Dharakote, Chhatrapur, Ganjam, Patrapur and Belaguntha blocks of which 66 are tagged hyper-sensitive.