Bhubaneswar, May 31: Polling for the by-election to Brajrajnagar Assembly Constituency in Odisha began at 7 AM on Tuesday morning without any untoward reports reported from anywhere.
The polling will continue till 6 PM.
The by-election was necessitated due to the death of sitting BJD member Kishore Chandra Mohanty in December 2021.
As many as 2,14,878 voters are scheduled to exercise their franchise spread over 279 booths in the by-election to decide the fate of 11 candidates including six independents.
Though there are eleven candidates in the fray, the battle for ballots is likely to be confined to the candidates of three major political parties— BJD, BJP and the Congress.
Each of three candidates — BJD’s Alaka Mohanty, the widow of deceased MLA Kshore Chandra Mohanty, former MLA Radharani Panda of BJP and Congress nominee and former Odisha Assembly Speaker Kishore Chandra Patel had launched a massive campaign and hoped to win the election.
The voters included 1,10,050 males, 1, 04,811 females and 17 transgenders.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the by election.
As many as 1228 Polling officers (including reserve), 970 Police personnel and three companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) are deployed for the poll.
In addition to three companies of CAPF 12 platoons of State OSAP, 25 mobile patrolling parties, 6 flying squads, 10 SST along with district Police Officers have been deployed for smooth conduct of by election.
Fifty Micro observers are deployed in the constituency. As many as 30 model booths with facilities like ramps, temporary shed, drinking water, separate queues, volunteers for senior citizens and PWD are made to help the voters to cast their votes without any hassle.
In every booth thermal scanning, booth sanitisation, hand sanitisation have been arranged and voters are requested to come to booths wearing masks, maintain social distancing and other Covid protocols.
Special arrangements have been made for PWD voters for their transport to the booth and back.
As many as 60 sensitive booths have been identified and Web casting has been planned in 145 booths.
with uni inputs
