Bhubaneswar: The polling for the bye-election to the Dhamnagar assembly constituency in Bhadrak district of Odisha is to be held in 252 booths, informed State Chief Electoral Officer Sushil Kumar Lohani on Friday.
Lohani said that as per the Electoral Roll published on January 1, 2022, there are a total of 2,38,360 voters in Dhamnagar. Out of them, 1,23,013 are male voters, 1,15,314 are female voters, and 33 are transgender.
A total of 4956 voters are Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), 7206 voters are above 80 years of age and 456 are service voters. Hundred percent voters have Electors Photo Identification Card (EPIC).
Lohani informed that the updated Electoral Roll to be published on October 14 will be used for the bye-election.
Adequate number of EVMs and VVPATs for use in the bye-election have been procured. Required number of EVMs i.e. 200 percent of the polling stations i.e. 504 ballot units and 504 control units and 504 VVPATs are available with DEO and Bhadrak Collector.
The First Level Checking of EVMs is starting from tomorrow. 15 engineers from ECIL will arrive for the purpose. The checking will be done in presence of representatives of political parties.
Postal ballot facility is available for Pwd, 80+ and covid suspected/infected voters.They need to apply through Form 12 D to avail the facility. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will contact such voters to provide the form.
The Chief Electoral Officer further said that Covid guidelines issued by the Health & Family Welfare Department will be followed during the course of the bye-election.
Candidates with criminal antecedents are required to publish information in this regard in newspapers and through television channels on three occasions during the campaign period. A political party that sets up candidates with criminal antecedents is also required to publish information about criminal background of its candidates, both on its website and also in newspapers and television channels on three occasions.
