Dhamnagar To Be Under Heavy Security Cover Ahead Of By-Poll: CEO Lohani

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of Dhamnagar by-elections, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Kumar Lohani on Wednesday said that the polling and police personnel to be deployed for the process should not be related to the constituency In order to ensure an impartial poll.

Speaking to media persons at a presser, Lohani said, “A total of 1108 polling personnel are to be deployed for the bye-election. It has been decided that they should not be voters of the constituency, natives of the constituency, or have been posted as government servants in the constituency. The same rule applies to police personnel.”

“A total of four companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), including two from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and two from the Border Security Force (BSF), are to be deployed for the bye-election. Besides, 10 platoons of Odisha Police will be deployed,” he said.

Two central observers namely Niranjan Kumar and Pranesh Gupta have been deployed for the bye-election. Meanwhile, postal ballots of 496 voters have been collected and electoral has been finalised, printed, and distributed. A total of 2,38,417 voters will cast their votes.

Webcasting will be done in 50 percent of booths. The dispersal of polling personnel will be done on 1st November from the Bhadrak Collectorate campus. 106 booths have been identified as sensitive booths. Besides webcasting, some micro-observers will be deployed at these booths.

Lohani further informed that till date, 641 licensed arms have been deposited at various police stations, 1909 persons have been booked under sections 107, and 116 of CrPC, 172 non-bailable warrants have been executed, and excise materials worth Rs 15 lakh have been seized. 1287 cases of defacement of public property and 27 of private property have been identified and removed.

Complaints regarding the violation of model conduct of conduct have been received from various political parties. Complaints have also been received against government servants. Prompt action was taken on the complaints as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI), added Lohani.