Cyclone Fani: Odisha CM approaches ECI, wants polls to be postponed

Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha, on Tuesday approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) asking to postpone the polls in Patkura assembly constituency if Cyclone Fani hits the state.

"I am in Delhi to meet the Election Commission of India regarding the postponement of the by elections of Patkura assembly seat in case the cyclone hits Odisha," Patnaik told ANI.

The Chief Minister arrived in the national capital to meet Sunil Arora, the Chief Election Commissioner and other officials of the poll body to discuss his concerns.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Fani intensified into a 'severe cyclonic storm' on Monday evening and is headed towards the Odisha coast, where it may make a landfall.

Earlier in the day, Bishnupada Sethi, Special Relief Commissioner of Odisha said, "The IMD has predicted the cyclone is likely to hit Odisha coast in Puri district on May 3 late evening. For search and rescue operations, we have alerted 20 units of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and 12 units of National Disaster Response Force are ready. "

District collectors of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Balasore, Cuttack, Mayurbhanj, Khurda have been alerted and they have been taking stock of the situation.