Dhamnagar bypoll preparation in the last phase; voting tomorrow

Election Commission (EC) seems to have left no stone unturned to ensure a violence-free and fair by-election to the Dhamnagar constituency to be held on November 3. 

According to sources, polling parties have conducted rehearsal of voting on Wednesday. Meanwhile, EC has kept an eye on 110 sensitive polling booths. 

Going by EC sources, polling will start at 7am and continue till 6pm. So far, poling parties have inspected EVM machines and checked Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) for the smooth conduct of the election. Around 2,38,417 voters including 1,23,038 males, 1,15,346 females and 33 transgenders will exercise their franchise at 252 booths to elect their candidate.

Out of 252 booths, web casting system has been put in place in 126 booths. Security arrangement has been beefed up at the sensitive polling booths. 

As many as 1,000 police officials have been deployed at sensitive booths. Also, four central forces, 22 platoons of State Armed Force have been deployed to avoid untoward incidents during voting. 

Bhadrak district Superintendent of Police Charan Singh visited sensitive booths on Wednesday and reviewed security arrangements. 

Chief Electoral Officer, moreover, has asked voters to refrain from talking in 100 metre of the booths. 

On basis of the complaints filed by different political outfits, police have registered five cases so far.