Fresh voters who have enrolled themselves in the electoral rolls this year but have not received Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) would be allowed to exercise their franchise in the Thursday’s CMC polls provided they posses any of the 23 I-cards as specified by the Election Commission of India.
The specific I-cards are passport, driving licence, PAN card, ration card, BPl card, green card, Aadhaar card, land deed, record of rights, bank passbook, SC, ST, OBC certificate, official I-card issued by the employer, students’ I-card, railway, bus pass, pension book, telephone book, physically handicap certificate, freedom fighter certificate, ex-serviceman certificate, gun licence or any card issued by the Government for any aid or assistance.
The CMC Election Officer in the meantime has identified at least 253 booths as hypersensitive and 169 sensitive booths out of the total 422 booths. For the first time, the State Election Commissioner has decided to put CCTVs in at least 20 booths of the city. “The proceedings of voting in the booths would be directly monitored by the control room,” said CMC Election Officer laxmidhar Mohanty.
Similarly, adequate police arrangements have been made by the Commissionerate police for peaceful voting on Thursday and counting of votes on Friday. Each sensitive and hypersensitive booth of the city would have additional police arrangements and at least 40 mobile police party would crisscross the city to maintain law and order.
The polling would be held between 8 am and 5 pm on Thursday and, accordingly, the liquor shops in the city and its adjoining places were sealed from Tuesday evening.
The Election Officer stressed on the fact that the polling agents of different candidates shall not be allowed to carry mobile phones into the polling booths.