By Our Correspondent
BHADRAK/BHUBANESWAR: Voting for Dhamnagar bypolls on Thursday began amid unprecedented security. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm or 6.30 pm. Triangular fight between BJP’s Suryabanasi Suraj , BJD’s Abanti Das and Independent Raju Das is likely with voters making beeline at various polling stations.
As many as 2,38,417 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the poll which consists of 1,23,038 males, 1,15,346 females and 33 transgenders. Poll is being going on in 252 booths. In 134 booths there is change of nomenclature. While 15 Model Booths with facilities like Ramp, Temp. shed, separate queues, drinking water, volunteers for PwD and Sr. Citizens etc. will be operating on the poll day, 5 Pink booths especially in urban areas totally manned by trained lady Polling Officers opened.
There are single booths in 120 locations, double booths in 54 locations, triple booths in 5 locations, 4 booths each at one location and 5 booths each at one location in the area.
110 booths have been identified as sensitive. Special arrangements have been made for such booths, he informed. In 126 booths web casting will be done while 25 Micro Observers have been deployed and extra CAPF deployment is being done in appropriate locations.
A total of 1008 Polling Officers are deployed with 04 per booth. About 100 Polling Officers are under reserve. A total of 997 Police Personnel (including officers, armed police, havildar, constables and Home guards) and four companies of CAPF are being deployed for the poll.
