The State Election Commission (SEC) and the Commissionerate Police have made elaborate arrangements starting from installing web casting facility at 22 sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling stations to deployment of security personnel for smooth conduct of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls.
“For the first time in State, is the web casting facility being installed at 22 sensitive and hyper-sensitive booths to prevent people from indulging in nuisance in the polling booths. The SEC can monitor the polling procedure and other activities in the booths live,” an SEC official said, adding that CCTV cameras would be installed at a few booths. Meanwhile, the Commissionerate police have deployed 35 platoons of police personnel, including 45 mobile police teams and four striking forces for free and fair conduct of polls.
Sources said the BMC area has been divided into 10 administrative zones which would be closely monitored by officers of the Odisha Administrative Service. A total of 2,904 officials have been engaged in the whole process. Meanwhile, the polling parties have started reaching the booths. About 6, 90,239 voters will cast their votes in 660 booths to decide the fate of 393 candidates contesting in 67 wards of the BMC. Of the total booths, 376 were declared as hyper-sensitive, while 187 booths sensitive.
“Each booth will have four polling officers in addition to police personnel,” said Bhubaneswar ADM and Election Officer Manoj Kumar Patnaik, who added that, “The polling will begin at 8 am and continue till 5 pm. The voters can cast votes after producing any of the documents like voter card, passport, driving licence, PAN card, ration card, ex-servicemen’s widow or dependent certificate and others.”