JAGATSINGHPUR: The district administration has made comprehensive arrangements to ensure a smooth and incident-free election in Jagatsinghpur district on June 1.
On Thursday, polling personnel were dispatched for the two Assembly segments, Paradip and Balikuda-Erasama, which comprise 544 of the district’s 1,051 polling booths. The remaining polling personnel for Tirtol and Jagatsinghpur will be dispatched on Friday.
Collector Anupam Shah assured the administration is committed to conducting a smooth and incident-free election.
Meanwhile, hundreds of drivers assigned election duty expressed resentment saying they will be deprived of voting due to a lack of communication about postal ballots. Many young voters have voiced concern claiming their names have been deleted from the voter list.
One such voter, Sunil Mohanty from Balarampur village, expressed his frustration, saying, “I cast my vote in the last election, but I will be deprived this time because my name has been deleted from the voter list.”
There have been allegations of increasing violence ahead of polls. Tension flared in Jamugaon panchayat under Naugaon block following a clash between BJD and BJP supporters. One Bhanumati Samal and her sister-in-law, Nalini Samal, lodged an FIR alleging threats and anti-Dalit remarks against them.
In another incident, Bibekananda Parida from Kanjiakana alleged that miscreants threatened him with a revolver while he was campaigning for Independent candidate Sanjib Biswal.
