SEC identifies 8,491 booths as hyper-sensitive

Odisha State Election Commission (SEC) today identified 8,491 booths as hyper-sensitive and 18,931 booths sensitive in the panchayat polls, slated to be held in five phases from February 13.
"1,076 booths have been identified as hyper-sensitive in Kandhamal district while Cuttack district with 1,841 has the most number of sensitive booths," SEC secretary Rabindra Nath Sahoo said.
Security will be beefed up in hyper-sensitive booths, Sahoo said.
"At least one ASI or above-rank officer will be present in the area," he said adding the security arrangements will be increased in the sensitive booths also.
"We also have classified polling stations with higher cluster of booths as sensitive and hyper sensitive. The classification has been made as per the information received from the police department, collector and taking into account the poll history," Sahoo said.

"Provisions for funds are made for the installation of CCTV and videography and all the district collectors have been informed in this regard," he said.
Meanwhile, Lalit Das, Special Secretary, Home, said that all the district collectors and SPs have been provided with the guidelines to conduct a free and fair elections.