3.35 crore people eligible to vote in LS, assembly polls in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Around 3.35 crore people, including 1.65 crore women, are eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Odisha, an official said on Monday.

The Lok Sabha and the assembly elections will be held in four phases between May 13 and June 1.

There will be 37,809 polling stations, including 33,429 in rural areas, in the state, the election official said.

Auxiliary polling stations will also be set up where the number of electors exceeds 1,500, he said.

The district election officers have been instructed to ensure the availability of minimum facilities such as ramps, drinking water, electricity connection and separate toilet facilities for men and women in all these polling stations for convenience of voters, the official said.

As per the instruction of the Election Commission of India, voter assistance booths will be set up in all polling stations.

Around 60 per cent of the total polling stations will be covered by webcasting on the day of voting, he said.

Deployment of micro-observers, arrangements for videography and CCTV will be undertaken to keep a watch on the polling process, the official said.

About 20 per cent will be model polling stations which will be managed solely either by youth polling personnel or by women or persons with disabilities.

Persons with disabilities and senior citizens above 85 years of age will be given priority for entering polling booths.

Besides, they will be given free transport facilities as well as wheelchairs as per their application in 'Saksham App', he added.