1,300 sensitive polling booths in Cuttack

Out of the total 2,171 booths spread across all nine Assembly constituencies in Cuttack district, the police administration of both Cuttack Rural and Cuttack Commissionerate have identified over 1,300 of them as sensitive.
Police officers were apprehensive that by the time the elections were held on April 17 after an intense campaigning of nearly three weeks, the number might increase.
At a preparatory meeting held here today, election department and police officials emphasised on peaceful polling and better voter turnout.
"Cuttack district registered a 64 per cent polling during the 2009 elections and this time we are trying to improve it significantly," said Cuttack collector and district election officer Girish S N after the meeting.

Taking stock of the situation, Police Commissioner R P Sharma said a massive drive has been undertaken to execute all pending NBWs in Cuttack city and put habitual offenders behind bars.
More than one thousand anti-social elements have now been booked after executing the NBWs. Even the excise sleuths have arrested around 700 bootleggers in the district for trading illicit liquor, he said.
Among the Assembly segments in the district, Badamba, Niali, Cuttack-Barabati and Banki have more number of sensitive booths, where police deployment would be maximum, sources said.
Meanwhile, the district administration has already conducted preliminary training programmes for polling officers.