Kandhamal LS bypoll amid tight security tomorrow

Amid tight security, Odisha's communally sensitive and Maoist-hit Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency is all set for bye-election tomorrow, though rains triggered by cyclone Hudhud dampened electioneering in the last leg.
The constituency is spread over Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Boudh districts and the bypoll has been necessitated following death of BJD MP Hemendra Chandra Singh on September 5.
"We have made all the required arrangements for conducting a free and fair polling tomorrow. Polling personnel have already reached their destination with EVMs and other materials," Kandhamal District Magistrate N Thirumala Nayak, who is also the returning officer, said.
Voting will be held in 1,497 polling stations spread over seven assembly segments - Phulbani, G Udaygiri, Baliguda, Boudh, Kantamal, Bhanjanagar and Daspalla.

Of the 1,497 polling booths, 530 have been identified as sensitive where central para military forces like CRPF and BSF jawans will be deployed for conducting free and fair polling, Nayak said, adding that they have set up 25 model booths in Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat this time.
As many as 11,41,737 voters would decide the fate of seven candidates including Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh (BJD), Abhimanyu Behera (Cong) and Rudra Madhav Ray (BJP). Pratyusha's late husband had won the polls from Kandhamal in the May with a margin of 1.81 lakh votes.
Counting of votes would be held on October 19.