CMC polls on Thursday; city turns into fortress

With the election to the 59-ward council of Cuttack Municipal Corporation scheduled to be held on Thursday, Cuttack city has been turned into a virtual fortress.
About 1,000 security personnel including 40 mobile teams, 20 striking force squads and over 200 police officers were deployed for the civic body election, police sources said.
"We are taking all requisite measures to ensure peaceful, free and fair voting on Thursday while counting of votes and announcement of results are made without any hindrance on Friday," city DCP S Praveen Kumar said.
Each police station would have a squad of striking force comprising two sections of armed police.

The striking forces would also be deployed at important places.
A total of 40 mobile teams, including ten motorcycle-borne parties would crisscross the city to keep in touch with security forces deployed in booths.

All the 422 booths would be manned by a constable each while the sensitive ones to have an extra home guard and the hypersensitive booths would be under the supervision of an officer.
Similarly patrol of all entry and exit points of the city have been intensified, the DCP said.
More than 3.94 lakh voters would decide the fate of 381 candidates, including over 150 independents.

The voters would exercise their franchise in 422 booths, half of them identified as hypersensitive and sensitive.
Web casting would be done in at least 20 booths where CCTVs would be installed and the proceedings in booths monitored by the control room.
Polling would be held between 8 am and 5 pm.