The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) would organise a mini marathon ‘Run for Democracy’ on April 13 to sensitise people to increase the voting per centage in the April 17 elections in the capital city.
Briefing mediapersons here, BMC Commissioner Krishan Kumar said the marathon would originate from Seventh Battalion near the Kalinga Hospital at 7 am on April 13 and will end at the KIIT.Kumar said, “The marathon race is being organised as part of the Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) campaign, and I call upon the voters to participate in the event and create awareness to enhance electoral participation so that everyone knows their right and exercises it.
Kumar said efforts are on to distribute the remaining 20,000 Elector’s Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) by April 16 and April 17 morning even at the polling booths.A total of 30,000 people had enrolled their names as voters during the special drive in the capital city.
Khordha district Collector Salini Pandit said, “Out of the total 1,768 polling booths in the district, 327 are vulnerable. Hence, Central paramilitary forces will be deployed at these centres to ensure no untoward incident,” she said, adding that webcasting, video-recording of the polling process would be done besides deployment of micro observers at these centres.
She also informed that the polling parties of the three Bhubaneswar Assembly constituencies, Ekamra, North and Central, would report at the BJB Autonomous College on April 16 morning instead of April 15 before being sent to the polling booths.