Campaigning ends for final phase of polling in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, May 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) The campaigning for the final phase of polling in Odisha ended on Thursday evening. Polling for six Parliamentary constituencies and 42 Assembly segments will be held simultaneously on June 1.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Nikunja Bihari Dhal said: "In Odisha, we have conducted polling in 15 Parliamentary and 105 assembly constituencies in the previous three phases. The voter turnout has been very encouraging, and the polling has been overall peaceful, except for some stray incidents."

The next phase of polling will be held on June 1 in six Parliamentary constituencies -- Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur -- and 42 Assembly segments under these constituencies.

Dhal stated that as many as 99,61,057 voters including 50.88 lakh men, 48.72 lakh women will exercise their franchise in the final phase of polling.

"We have set up 10,882 polling stations and about 1,400 booths will be manned by women polling personnel. About 20 per cent of the total polling stations will be model polling stations. We have made very extensive arrangements to provide a very happy experience to the voters on the polling day," Dhal added.

As many as 460 candidates, including 66 for the Parliamentary elections and 394 for the Assembly, are in the fray for the final phase of polling.

A total of 125 companies of central armed police force will be deployed in the six Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly constituencies going for the polls.

Meanwhile, over 72,000 polling personnel have been deployed for the smooth conduct of polling in the final phase.

Source: IANS