Stage is all set for re-polling in six booths of the Niali Assembly constituency in Cuttack district on Friday.
Re-polling on the day would also be held in two other booths of Keonjhar and one in Kendrapada district.
Polling in these booths was held on April 17. But following allegations of massive rigging and other irregularities like damage to EVMs, the Election Commission ordered re-polling in all these nine booths. The Congress and BJP nominees had alleged that the ruling BJD’s workers had vandalised the booths damaging the EVMs after an attempt to rig the booths was confronted with.
Meanwhile, the Cuttack district administrations along with the district rural police has made elaborate arrangements to conduct the re-polling in Niali without any further hiccups. While all booths would be under the radar of web cameras, arrangements have been made to video-record all developments outside the booths. Micro observers have been appointed for each booth in Niali, said Returning Officer of the segment and Cuttack ADM laxmidhar Mohanty.
“Each booth in Niali will be under the supervision of a DSP assisted by an Inspector. Besides, there will be striking and static forces in place to meet any eventuality,” said Cuttack Rural SP Gurudas Kundu.