Stage set for first phase of polling in Odisha

The stage is set for polling in four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of voting on Thursday in Odisha.

As many as 60,03,707 voters -- 29,72,925 male, 30,30,222 female and 560 belonging to the third gender category -- are expected to exercise their franchise to elect representatives from Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Berhampur and Koraput Lok Sabha seats, and 28 assembly constituencies.

Among the 26 Lok Sabha candidates two are women, and in case of 191 Assembly candidates 16 are women.

Of the 7,233 polling booths, 30 are all-woman vote centres. In total, 47,805 polling personnel have been deployed to conduct elections, said the CEO office.

The Election Commission (EC) has identified 2,375 booths as critical. CCTVs have been installed in 215 booths, webcasting facilities in 486 and videography would be done in 260 polling stations, said the CEO office.

The state government has declared April 11 as holiday for its employees. It has also asked management of businesses, trade, industrial undertakings, shops, commercial establishments to declare the polling day as paid holiday to help voters cast their votes.

Odisha will undergo four-phased elections for 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.

--IANS

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